Weave Your Magic
by lilyvandersteen
Summary: This is an AU in which Blaine and Kurt never met in high school. Blaine is an elementary school teacher and the author of several picture books. Kurt is a former child actor and now a men's wear designer, who writes thrillers under a pseudonym. They meet at a book fair.
1. Chapter 1: A Dream Come True

Chapter One: A Dream Come True

"_This wandering storyteller is standing on an empty crate, which makes him tower above the spectators, and he's telling a story … oh, how he's telling it! His gestures wide, his voice loud, his face earnest and his eyes rolling. Around him stand a few men, many women and children and even two priests, and they listen with bated breath._" (Thea Beckman, _Geef me de ruimte!_, my own translation, as I am not sure the book exists in an English version)

It felt weird being here right now, Blaine thought.

He'd always come here, every year, and several times, too. He'd come alone, to stock up on the newest comic books and get one of them signed by the author, hopefully with a quick sketch of the main character next to the autograph. He'd come with his class, to stock up on picture books and story books for the school library and to let the children soak up the atmosphere and fall in love with the written word just as surely and irrevocably as he had. And he'd occasionally come with a friend.

Yet he'd never witnessed the book fair being set up. He shouldn't have come this early, he knew, but he'd been so excited he couldn't possibly stay away a moment longer. Because this year, for the first time ever, he'd be here as an author.

* * *

><p>Even before he could read, he'd always been drawn towards books. He loved the pictures, and when his parents or Coop would read to him, he floated away to the world they described effortlessly, dreaming about it afterwards, and recreating the stories with his Playmobil or Lego figures.<p>

He was a shy child, quite withdrawn, and preferred to spend recess looking on and daydreaming rather than participating in the games the others played. Though he was teased about it with increasing frequency as he grew older, he always remained a starry-eyed dreamer. Yet when he was roused from his abstraction, he proved good at ball games and he could hold up in a fight, thanks to his older brother Cooper, who saw to his "proper training", as Coop called it.

When he was eight, a boy called Wes asked him to join his soccer team because they lacked a member to be able to play matches. He struck up a friendship with his teammates Wes, Jeff, Nick and Thad, and through them, he discovered another passion of his: music.

One day, they were at Thad's during the summer, splashing around in a big inflatable swimming pool in the garden, when they heard music floating out of the house.

"There we go again", sighed Thad. "I swear, every time my big brother has a girl over, he starts playing that guitar of his to serenade her as if he were some kind of rock star. And don't get me wrong, he has an okay singing voice, but the only song he's ever mastered is House of the Rising Sun, so it's the same song over and over again. I'm so fed up with it!"

"The guitar sounds nice, though", said Blaine. "I'd like one, too."

So the very next Christmas, he asked Santa for a guitar, and got it, too. Once he started taking music lessons, his mother told him she'd gladly share the family's baby grand with him, on condition he played for her once in a while.

In his teenage years, he started writing songs as well, both the music and the lyrics flowing out of him effortlessly whenever he felt something he couldn't express in any other way.

And then he started babysitting so as to add to his pocket money, and found another passion of his flaring up again: stories. Only this time, he was the storyteller. He found out quickly that when the children he looked after were bored, naughty or fretful, all it took was the four magic words "Once upon a time …" to captivate and enthral them.

At first, he would tell them his favourite fairy tales and adventure stories, but after a while he started making it up as he went, adding voices, shadow pictures and acting it out.

He loved being around children, and seemed to intuitively know just how to keep them happy and active, so it came as a surprise to no-one that Blaine wanted to become a primary school teacher.

After his studies, he took to the job as a duck to water. To his class of eight-year-olds, he was a superhero, a wizard, a father figure and a superstar all rolled into one, and they looked up to him no end. Mr. A made going to school quite an adventure. Every week, they would come up with a theme and everything they learned that week centred on it. So one week, they could learn about the sea - what animals and plants live in it, what makes the water salty (and did you know that salt simply dissolves into water? Let's try that out, shall we?), why do the waves move back and forth, etc. etc. Then, the next week could be all about supermarkets - marketing, packaging, selling and buying, calculating prices.

There was one constant factor, though. Friday afternoon was story time, and Blaine's young charges absolutely loved story time! So naturally, when the subject of a parents' day came up in class, they begged Mr. A to schedule it on a Friday - "cause I want my daddy to hear you tell stories so he can learn how to do that at bedtime, Mr. A!"

The parents' day came and was a huge success. The parents were impressed by Blaine's singing and guitar playing and of course by his storytelling.

One father in particular, Mr. Thurnstone, went up to him and said: "I work for a publishing company specialising in children's books. If you ever consider writing down those wonderful stories of yours, please get back to me, we would love to publish them. This is exactly what we are looking for!" He handed Blaine his business card. When Blaine accepted it, a little stunned, the man gave him a pat on the back and repeated: "Think about it, will you?"

That was two years ago, and things had progressed so fast since then. Once he'd wrapped his head around the fact that someone liked his stories enough to want to publish them, it had taken him a few months to write out one of his favourite stories and illustrate it with watercolour sketches. He contacted Mr. Thurnstone, who set up a meeting with his superiors. They were impressed with Blaine's writing and illustrations, and assured him they would love to work with him and publish his books.

In two years, he'd written four books, and each new one sold better than the last. Small wonder then that the publishing company asked him to tour around to promote his latest publication and sign autographs.

Today was extra special for Blaine, because this book fair was in his home town: Westerville, Ohio.


	2. Chapter 2: A Striking Stranger

Author's note: Thank you for your support so far! I'm so glad you seem to like the concept for my story, and my version of Blaine. I hope this new chapter will live up to your expectations. Thoughts, ideas and constructive criticism are more than welcome!

Chapter Two: A Striking Stranger

"_Nice big smile, Harry. Together, you and I are worth the front page._" (J.K. Rowling, _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_)

The book fair was scheduled to start at 10 AM. Blaine knew that his colleague Tina planned to come with her first graders just after noon. She would bring him lunch, and expected him to entertain her charges for at least half the afternoon. He was looking forward to that, but figured the morning would be slow, so he rolled up his sleeves and helped set up the fair, holding cut-outs so that they could be fixed to the floor, taping posters to the walls, carrying books and furniture and generally making himself helpful.

By the time 10 AM rolled around, the place looked fantastic and more than ready for an invasion of eager readers, so he excused himself to go freshen up in the bathroom. Luckily, he'd thought to throw an extra T-shirt into his backpack in case of emergencies. Working with children meant it was always best to have a change of clothes at the ready. He'd needed it on more than one occasion. Getting your clothes dirty was an occupational hazard as a primary school teacher. He had a T-shirt that looked like abstract art now (the children were painting rather too enthusiastically), a henley with spaghetti stains he'd had to throw away (Robby turned out to have a stomach bug and lost his lunch on Blaine), and when it was his turn to supervise the playground, he would join in the fun and games with abandon and more often than not end up caked in mud (on rainy days) or dirt (on sunny days).

When he came back to his appointed spot, he could see - and hear - that the book fair's headliner had arrived, at the stand right next to his. Sebastian Smythe, a former child actor who'd grown up on the set of a popular TV series, had decided to cash in on his celebrity status before it faded and did everything under the sun to make it last. Case in point: a much hyped series of children's books, slightly reminiscent of Enid Blyton's Famous Five.

Blaine had read the books, and though they were solidly written and occasionally funny, they weren't memorable. He wouldn't stand in line for hours to get an autograph or one of the first copies of the next instalment. It seemed as if his opinion was a minority one, though. The queue that had formed in front of Mr. Smythe's stand was steadily growing longer. And the parents seemed just as excited as the children, if not more so.

Well, to be fair, he had to admit that Mr. Smythe was very good-looking. Tall, lean, piercing green eyes, his clothes, posture and attitude a tribute to James Dean and a smirk telling the fans that he knew exactly what havoc he was wreaking every time he spoke to or winked at one of them. No wonder they all seemed hyper and slightly breathless.

Wait … All of them? No … There was one glaring exception. Halfway the queue stood a girl that he guessed was about the age of his third-graders. She was pretty. Big chocolate eyes, long braided nut-brown hair, dimples in her cheeks and graceful even when standing still. She was loud. He could hear her every word as clearly as if she were standing right next to him. And that was with her whispering. It seemed like she could barely contain herself from jumping up and down, shouting her glee to the sky, hugging everyone in sight and twirling until she fell over dizzy.

Her father, though, didn't seem happy to be there. Not in the least. He looked tense and exasperated, as if he'd rather be anywhere else in the world than there, shuffling closer and closer to Mr. Superstar Smythe. He was typing a mile a minute on his phone, hardly ever looking up and answering the girl's questions in monosyllables and grunts. A businessman disgruntled that he missed out on an important meeting? Whoever he was, even with a surly expression on his face, he drew Blaine's eye.

Could you call a man beautiful? The mere word "good-looking" didn't seem to do him justice. He was dressed to kill, all long lean lines, his hair swept up effortlessly. His skin was so pale he could have played in a Twilight movie without needing any make-up, though the form of his face, his ears and his easy grace were more elf-like than vampire-like. Blaine amused himself picturing the stunning stranger with long, flowing hair, pointy ears and a bow and quiver over his shoulders. He'd make a great Eldarion.

And just like that, his fingers twitched to get this vision of his onto paper. He grabbed his sketch pad and a pencil and happily sketched away. An elf was followed by a prince, then a 1950s movie star. He looked up ever so often, but nobody seemed interested in Blaine's autograph as long as there was a celebrity in the room. Mr. Beautiful was now leading the queue with his daughter, waiting for Mr. Smythe to finish talking to the fans preceding him. The girl was full-out bouncing.

Then it was their turn.

"Name, please", drawled Mr. Smythe.

"Sarah", said both father and daughter at the same time. Sarah giggled.

Mr. Smythe looked up, a spark in his eye.

"Well, well … If it isn't my fake kid brother. Long time no see, bro! This your little girl, then?"

The man looked at Mr. Smythe, clearly livid. His mouth was a thin line, his eyes were narrowed in a glare that nearly knocked Blaine off his chair with its intensity. Yet it also seemed familiar, somehow. Where had he seen that before?

"Unlike you, Sebastian, some people have moved on from "A Tree Called Life". So please don't ever refer to me as your brother again, fake or otherwise. The name's Kurt, and thankfully, I am NOT related to you. And for your information, this is not my daughter. Sarah's my niece."

Mr. Smythe grinned, seemingly not at all fazed by Kurt's animosity.

"Ooooh, touchy … Still haven't forgiven me for messing up your sweet sixteen party, have you? Lighten up, Hummel! Nobody remembers your youthful indiscretions anymore, stop beating yourself up about it!"

Kurt huffed indignantly.

"Could you just sign that stupid book of yours, so that we can be on our way?"

Mr. Smythe grimaced playfully.

"Oh dear, my baby bro still needs to work on his manners. You've forgotten the magic word, sweetcheeks!"

Kurt looked as though he wanted to lash out again, but he reined himself in and said in clipped tones: "Please."

"Kurt by name and curt by nature!" quipped Mr. Smythe, but when another impressive glare was levelled in his direction, he lazily grabbed a copy of his latest book, wrote something, signed with a flourish and handed it to Sarah. "There you go, sweetheart, enjoy!"

"Thank you!" said the pair in unison again, and once more, Sarah giggled.

Blaine smiled. She seemed over the moon with happiness.

"Blainey Days? Blaine? Earth to Blaine!"

Tina had arrived.


	3. Chapter 3: Memory Lane

Author's Note: This chapter is in Kurt's point of view, and explains his animosity towards Sebastian.

Chapter Three: Memory Lane

_"__Then she turned and walked away - moving, this lightest of dancers, like an old, old woman - and vanished into the dark." _(Eva Ibbotson, _A Company of Swans_)

Kurt gripped Sarah's hand tightly, took one look at the long line of eager fans and groaned. Even on the best of days, he wasn't a morning person. He never fully woke up before noon and after several big mugs of coffee. That was why he was so glad he was self-employed. You needed a certain self-discipline and routine of course, even if you were your own boss, but nobody forced you to get up at the crack of dawn.

Usually, his Fridays were relaxed and leisurely. Oh, he would definitely work, no doubt about that! He'd check his website for online orders, he'd shop for any material he was short on, he'd sew or sketch or write a few hours, he'd pack up some orders, print out invoices and shipping labels, but he never pushed himself on Fridays.

It had always been a special day to him. Friday family dinners were a Hummel tradition that went way back. And now, with the addition of his stepmother Carole, his stepbrother Finn, Finn's wife Rachel and their children, Sarah and Toby, the family dinners were a boisterous and messy affair. You knew beforehand that your ear drums would be challenged, that your sentences would get interrupted, that at any point, someone could pick something off your plate or add their unwanted vegetables to it, that juice and sauce would be spilled on the table and that the conversation would skip from one topic to another so fast and so effortlessly that an outsider would get hopelessly lost in it and would question your sanity.

But he'd never felt more at home and at peace as during those crazy dinners. They recharged his batteries even after a really bad week. Because there, at the Hummel-Hudson dinner table, he could just be himself. No judgments. No demands. Kurt's family offered exactly what he needed: unconditional acceptance and love.

And he was looking forward to today's dinner, only he had to get through the day first. When Rachel called him at five AM this morning, his thoughts had been so murderous that he'd simply have to incorporate the ways in which he contemplated killing her into the next thriller he wrote.

Rachel explained that she'd planned on taking Sarah to the Westerville book fair because Sebastian Smythe was signing his latest book there, from 10 AM until 1 PM, and Sarah was a huge fan. Only, Toby had woken at 2 AM, sweaty and feverish, clinging to his mama and refusing to let go, even for a minute. So would Kurt please come to her rescue and take Sarah to Westerville?

Once Kurt's sleep-fogged brain caught up with Rachel's chatter, he asked why Finn couldn't just take her, already knowing the answer. Finn was a police officer and worked shifts. And today, Finn's shift wouldn't be over until noon, by which time it would be too late to head to Westerville for the signing.

Rachel pushed all his buttons, guilt-tripping him for crushing Sarah's hopes, promising him a caramel pecan cheese cake at tonight's dinner and any favour, ANYTHING he'd want in the future, no questions asked.

So he gave in, collected Sarah at six AM sharp and drove to Westerville. Two hours later, they stood in line, waiting for the doors to open. It was chilly, and more than once he caught himself thinking longingly of his warm, soft bed. His niece seemed perfectly content, though, alternatively skipping, singing cheerfully, racing to the end of the street and back and peering in through the windows, her hands cupping over her eyes, to see if she could spot her idol.

Why oh why did his niece have to be enamoured with Sebastian, of all people? Yes, he was certainly good-looking and talented, but he was also smarmy, cocky, rude and obsessed with sex. And Kurt had perfectly good reasons to despise him.

When Kurt's mother died, his father Burt was devastated. So much so that his work, his health and his son suffered neglect as a result. Burt's sister Mary stepped in and offered to take Kurt until Burt was back on his feet again.

Mary lived in Los Angeles with her husband Robert. They were both celebrity agents. As they had never been able to have children, they grew to love Kurt as their own son, and when they saw how talented he was, they couldn't resist putting their feelers out to give him his chance to shine.

When an eight-year-old Kurt was cast for the tv series "A Tree Called Life", Sebastian Smythe had been a main cast member for two seasons already, and was told to take Kurt under his wing and show him the ropes. Kurt had taken one look at the cute older boy, had instantly developed a crush on him and started following him around like a puppy. On good days, Seb let him tag along and good-naturedly teased him. On bad days, he'd skin Kurt alive with his razor-sharp wit and remind him that he was four years older and didn't want to put up with babies all day long.

Kurt worked alongside Sebastian for eight years. Seb played his elder brother in the series. An obnoxious brother, getting him into trouble more often than not, and always blaming him when they were found out.

When Kurt hit puberty, his obsession with Seb all but consumed him. But the older boy flitted from one fling to another, hardly sparing a glance for Kurt, and mercilessly laughing at him when he noticed him blushing, fumbling or stuttering whenever he was near.

Things came to a head at Kurt's sweet sixteen party. Kurt's aunt and uncle were away that weekend, so against his better judgment, he let his co-stars talk him into throwing a big party. The next day, he woke up with his head pounding, his body sore all over and his short term memory a complete blank. It all came back to him with alarming clarity, though, when Kurt saw the trashed remains of the once beautiful garden, the swimming pool full of junk and people sleeping in various states of undress all over the living room floor.

Only one person was glaringly absent: Sebastian. Seb had certainly been at the party. He'd turned up late, and brought lots of alcohol. He'd gotten Kurt drunk, and from then on, things were a bit of a blur.

Kurt remembered Seb kissing him, though, kissing him hungrily and groping his ass. Then, at some point, they'd all stripped and skinny-dipped in the pool. Kurt's cheeks burned at the memory. What was it about alcohol that completely turned your personality around and made you brazen and shameless? He had latched onto Seb in the swimming pool, his hands and lips exploring, grinding into him. No wonder Seb had taken that as an invitation to relieve him of his virginity right then and there.

And then, all of a sudden, there were flashes of all-too-bright light. Paparazzi! In his uncle's garden! And there was mess everywhere and everyone was in their birthday suit and Kurt was still reeling from having experienced his first orgasm just moments before. He'd squealed and reached for a towel to cover himself, only to have Seb take it first, wrap it around his own hips, slap Kurt hard on his butt and run away laughing.

Kurt had covered himself with his hands, run to his clothes and then into the house with the others, as fast as he could, his cheeks flaming, his ass sore and his heart breaking. For a moment there, he'd thought, he'd really thought that he and Seb had a connection, that maybe now that the older boy had noticed him, they could be together. But clearly, he'd only been an easy lay, immediately forgotten and discarded after the sex. Why had he been so stupid? He would never ever drink again.

His aunt and uncle had come home as soon as they saw the paparazzi pictures, and their disappointment in Kurt cut him to the quick. He'd begged them to let him return to Lima, to his dad, and that was the last LA ever saw of him. He never wanted to be in the limelight again. Ever.

"A Tree Called Life" had written him out by making him die in a car crash, like his mother. How very fitting.

And now, ten years later, Sebastian had turned up again in his life. As his niece's favourite author, no less. Which begged the question: why on earth did Seb ever start writing children's books? Kurt understood that he liked to dabble in everything. Since "A Tree Called Life" had ended, Sebastian had tried his hand at modelling, representing brands, playing cameos and supporting roles in all sorts of tv series and films, hosting quizzes and game shows, even recording a pop album, followed by a worldwide concert tour. But writing was another matter entirely. Word had it that Sebastian wrote the books all by himself, no ghost writer involved. Kurt had read them, and they were actually decent. Not outstanding, but well-written. His niece had read and liked far worse. But why did it have to be Sebastian? All he could hope for was that Seb wouldn't look up or wouldn't recognise him if he did.


	4. Chapter 4: Long Time No See

Author's Note: This chapter is again from Kurt's point of view, and it's again mostly back story. I promise the first Klaine interaction is coming soon now, though, in Chapter Six, probably. Please let me now what you think of my story, it's lovely to hear from you!

"_Of course, I mean. If at thirteen you can write ten good lines, at twenty you'll write ten times ten-if the gods are kind. Stop messing over months, though-and don't imagine you're a genius either, if you have written ten decent lines. I think there's something trying to speak through you-but you'll have to make yourself a fit instrument for it. You've got to work hard and sacrifice-by gad, girl, you've chosen a jealous goddess. And she never lets her votaries go-even when she shuts her ears for ever to their plea_." (Lucy Maud Montgomery, _Emily of New Moon_)

Chapter Four: Long Time No See

At precisely ten AM, the doors opened, and everyone trudged in, thankful to get out of the cold. Sebastian hadn't arrived yet. His stand was the biggest, of course, a huge splash of colour, towering mounds of books, a big sign stating he'd be there from 10 AM until 1 PM and a much comfier chair than the ones the other authors were getting.

Kurt and Sarah were about halfway the queue, so it would take a while until it was their turn. Now that his fingers didn't risk turning blue and numb with cold, he decided to make note of the great murder ideas he had dreamt up that morning when Rachel woke him. He didn't have his laptop with him, but his phone would have to do. He would just roughly sketch them out and maybe add a general backdrop for the story. The rest of the blanks could be filled in later.

He'd always worked like that, from the very beginning. He had a diary, but instead of filling it with the minutiae of his everyday life, he'd always written down stories in it. Simple stories at first, fairly reminiscent of the bedtime stories he'd been told the day before, and if they ever depicted something he'd gone through that day, he'd give it his very own twist. He'd make it comical instead of sad, heroic instead of cowardly, larger than life instead of humdrum.

His writing was his outlet for any and all emotions he felt. If he was happy for some reason, he'd write a sweet fairy tale. If he was sad, he'd fill line after line with a screwball comedy, full of jokes and situation humour. On days when he felt frustrated and powerless, an adventure story would come out of his pen, his hero solving the problems thrown his way with practised ease, dodging death and danger at every turn and always coming out of the fray victorious. And when he was furious beyond belief and felt like tearing someone apart limb from limb, he'd write murders. He delighted in devising cruel mental and physical torture methods as well as inventive ways of killing people without it looking like murder. Time after time, his murderer was a person that came across as totally normal at first sight, and then Kurt would slowly peel back the layers of self-control and the thin veneer of decency to reveal the sick, twisted, inhuman nature lurking underneath.

Writing was such a safe and rewarding way of exorcising his demons. Since he'd been in the public eye from a very young age, he knew he always had to be on his best behaviour at any time and any place. His creative outlet ensured that he never felt the need to act out. Up until the sweet sixteen fiasco, he'd been a perfect son, a perfect cast member, a joy to live and to work with. Always on time, always polite, a friendly word and a thank you for everyone. Thoughtful, attentive and kind, but also fiercely determined, driven and focused. The producers of A Tree Called Life were loath to see Kurt go, assuring him they did not care about the bad press after the party incident. Kurt was adamant, though, and could not be persuaded to stay.

Ever since he'd come back to Lima, he'd been so miserable that his mask of polite friendliness had turned into an armour of icy indifference. Yes, he was bullied. Yes, he was threatened. Yes, he felt desperately alone and unhappy most of the time. But it took much to shake his façade. He didn't crumble. He didn't give in. He held his chin up high and looked right through his tormentors. _Do your worst, you can't get to me!_

He'd always liked acting and singing, but one day at William McKinley High showed him that no-one there would appreciate his talents. The only talent he'd be honing in the two years he had to spend there was the capacity to melt into a crowd unnoticed, to become invisible. So he packed away his fabulous designer clothes lovingly and regretfully, purchased five bland school outfits in dark colours that would absorb slushy dye without it leaving a trace and trained himself to speak only in his lower register, to move unobtrusively, never to make eye contact, to duck his head and sidle away from any conflict. Even so, his face seemed to tell what he so carefully tried to hide, and he was pushed against lockers, thrown into dumpsters, slushied and insulted on a daily basis.

Small wonder then that his collection of murder stories grew and flourished. He let his aunt Mary read some of them when she came over for Christmas, and she encouraged him to write a longer story, with enough words to fill a whole book, and promised to look up the contact info of some top-notch literary agents for him. Kurt finished his first thriller at the age of seventeen. He contacted a few agents, and within two months he had a publishing contract. The only stipulation he had made, was that the books could in no way be connected to him. He wanted to be published under a nom de plume instead of his own name, he didn't want an author picture on the back flap and he didn't want any book signings, interviews or any other type of publicity that would bring him into the limelight. In return, he agreed to write two thrillers a year, for the next five years.

His novels proved very successful. To Kurt's surprise, the enigma of the writer wishing to stay hidden only fuelled the interest people showed in him and his novels, and on the forums discussing his books, speculation was rife as to who it might be - a celebrity, a high-ranked official, an actual murderer, an FBI agent, you name it.

The publishing company was quick to renew his contract after the five years were up, increasing his royalty percentage and offering only one suggestion: a series of murder mystery books starring the same detective. They'd been approached for the film rights to several of Kurt's novels. And they thought that, if he took up their suggestion, it might lead to a TV series.

Kurt agreed to film adaptations of his books, on condition that he would be involved in the creative process and the casting and would have the final say on these matters. When, for one of the films, he couldn't find the right actor to do justice to his complex protagonist, he decided to step in and play the character himself. In the interest of staying under the radar, he made his film persona look as drastically different from himself as he possibly could. It took the make-up artists hours every day to recreate that look, but it was worth it. He even went to the film premiere in full costume and make-up, and though he felt like a child in a Halloween costume, he had a lot of fun. He used a soubriquet for his acting stint as well, and although he loved every minute of it, he decided not to cast himself again. He had to be careful. He valued his quiet life. It wouldn't do to be recognised.

"Uncle Kurt?"

Kurt looked up. Sarah had been chattering pretty much non-stop. Luckily, all he had to do was hum occasionally or answer yes or no, and she was content. Now she sounded urgent, though.

"We're up next, uncle Kurt! Aren't you excited?"

Kurt hummed non-committally and stowed his phone away.

They stepped up to the stand, and Sebastian asked for Sarah's name. Without thinking, Kurt answered his question, and immediately, Seb's eyes snapped up, an evil glint in them.

"Well, well … If it isn't my fake kid brother. Long time no see, bro! This your little girl, then?"

Why oh why hadn't he just let Sarah say her name herself? Why hadn't he kept mum and unobtrusive? And he'd spoken with in his normal, high tone of voice. He might have known Seb would recognise it immediately. Ugh! Stupid, stupid move! He was furious at himself. And now of course, he had no choice but to actually have a conversation with Mr Odious Smirk. Well, he'd keep it as short as he could, and whisk Sarah away as soon as she had her autograph.

"Unlike you, Sebastian, some people have moved on from "A Tree Called Life". So please don't ever refer to me as your brother again, fake or otherwise. The name's Kurt, and thankfully, I am NOT related to you. And for your information, this is not my daughter. Sarah's my niece."

Seb grinned.

"Ooooh, touchy … Still haven't forgiven me for messing up your sweet sixteen party, have you? Lighten up, Hummel! Nobody remembers your youthful indiscretions anymore, stop beating yourself up about it!"

_O-kay, simmer down, Hummel, simmer down. Poker face on, please_. But really, how could Seb be so cavalier about it? They hadn't seen each other in ten years, and all Kurt got was a few flippant remarks? Not even an apology? Brushing off what happened at the party as though it didn't matter? As though HE didn't matter?

He clenched his teeth, and snapped: "Could you just sign that stupid book of yours, so that we can be on our way?"

Seb grimaced.

"Oh dear, my baby bro still needs to work on his manners. You've forgotten the magic word, sweetcheeks!"

Aaaargh! How could he ever have been in love with someone SO annoying? _Okay, Hummel, make sure you get that autograph for Sarah, you can rail as much as you like afterwards_.

"Please."

"Kurt by name and curt by nature!" quipped Seb.

Kurt quelled him with a look, and finally, Seb grabbed a copy of his latest book, wrote something, signed it and handed it to Sarah. "There you go, sweetheart, enjoy!"

"Thank you!" said Kurt and Sarah.

Kurt grabbed Sarah's hand again and turned on his heel without sparing Seb one more glance.


	5. Chapter 5: Play A Song For Me

Author's Note: This chapter and the next are from Blaine's point of view again. No Kurt in this chapter, sorry, but loads of him in Chapter Six, I promise!

Chapter Five: Play A Song For Me

"_Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand, and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest. 'Ah, music,' he said, wiping his eyes. 'A magic beyond all we do here!'_" (J.K. Rowling, _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_)

Tina hugged Blaine and squealed in excitement. "Your very own stand! With nice posters and bookmarks and everything. This is so cool! Can we have one of these posters for our classroom? Pretty please?"

Blaine chuckled. "You'll have to wait for the book fair to be over, but then, yes, I'll sneak you a poster. You can have some of the bookmarks right now, if you like. It's not like anyone's shown any interest in them so far, not with Mr. Big Shot right next to me."

Tina squeezed his hand affectionately. "Only you could say that without the slightest trace of bitterness, Blainey Days … Has every book signing been like that so far? Nobody coming up to you to ask for your autograph?"

Blaine shook his head. "No, not at all, in other venues people came up to me all right. And I dare say that when Mr. Smythe leaves, I'll get my chance at signing books. He's just a much hotter commodity than I am. He doesn't do many book signings in these parts. He sticks to the big cities, mostly. I heard he only came here because he was visiting his parents. Two birds with one stone and all that."

Tina gasped. "You've talked with him?"

Blaine threw his head back and laughed. "Not likely, Tina! He hasn't paid any attention to anyone but himself. What did you expect? Yes, we're both here to sign our books today, but that's about the only thing we will ever have in common. We're worlds apart. He's a real celebrity, the genuine article, and I'm just an up-and-coming writer. Which, for the record, is totally fine with me! I'd hate to be famous, ugh!"

Tina cocked her head to the side. "Then who told you?"

Blaine shrugged. "I helped set up the fair, and one of the employees chatted with me while I helped. I learned other interesting stuff, too. You know that thriller writer whose books I'm obsessed with? Mark Easterbrook?"

Tina nodded. "When you're reading one of his books, it's like you're in a world of your own. And you're so cranky whenever someone dares to interrupt your reading. Well, cranky is too mild a word for it, actually. I remember I grabbed your shoulder the other day, just to tell you our lunch break was over, and you almost dislocated my arm. It was scary!"

Blaine ducked his head. "Sorry, Tay-Tay. Anyway, you know I have every Mark Easterbrook novel there is, right? And I've often complained that there are no autographed copies of his books to be found anywhere, right? I've scoured eBay and the like, I've e-mailed the publishing company, but I've had no luck so far. Well, guess what? The man I helped this morning said that not only Sebastian Smythe was from these parts, but Mark Easterbrook, too. He knows him, actually went to high school with him, can you believe it? So he's not in his forties, as I imagined. He's about my age. And the reason he never does interviews, never has his photograph printed on any of his books and never does book signings is because he's scared. Not much of a people person, it seems. Got bullied in high school and never really got over it."

He sighed dreamily.

"Can you imagine? Mark Easterbrook lives here somewhere. I may have walked past him on the street. I may have sat on the same bench in the park he sat on before. I may have bought a bow tie in the same shop he frequents. Isn't it lovely? I wish he'd send some autographed copies of his books to the book fair here. I would KILL to have one. Well, not literally, but I'd definitely go to great lengths for it."

Tina shook her head. "Really, Blaine, listen to yourself, you sound like you have a crush on that Easterbrook guy, and you don't know him from Adam, you just read his books."

"But the way he writes tells me so much about his personality and his interests that it feels like I know him", Blaine countered.

Tina shrugged. "Whatever. Anyway, we had better rein in my class before they destroy the whole book fair."

She raised her voice. "Children, come here and sit down in a half circle. Mr. A is going to sing and tell stories!

"YYYYAAAAYYYY!"

The children scrambled to find a good spot and sat down.

Blaine quickly wolfed down the sandwiches Tina had brought him, drank some water, then grabbed his guitar and tuned it. Showtime!

Blaine knew Tina's first graders, of course, and they knew him. Hawthorne Elementary School was really small, which had the advantage that every teacher knew every child by name, and that they could all fit into the big Round Room for announcements, events and the weekly music lessons.

That last part was rather unusual, of course. A whole school having singing lessons together? Yes, well, that would be Nora's doing …

Mrs. Nora Clegg was Hawthorne's eldest teacher. She was nearing retirement age and she was brilliant at maths and sciences, always showing her pupils how to apply it to everyday use and making them discover the thrill of a solved problem or a successful experiment. Her sense of humour helped, too, her funny quips staying with her pupils long after everything she'd taught them had faded.

However, she wasn't musical in the least. She was practically tone-deaf and had a screechy singing voice she didn't wish to inflict on anyone. So when she started at Hawthorne, she cajoled her colleagues into taking turns teaching her class music education lessons, with the principal's consent. In return, she'd teach their class anything from maths, biology, chemistry, physics over knitting and needlework to road safety lessons.

Then, one day, the school had planned to go on an outing, but it was raining so heavily that it was decided to pile all the children into the Round Room and think up some fun activities. In the morning, the teachers divided their charges into teams and staged a treasure hunt with clues throughout the school. The older children helped the younger ones, and they all loved it. After that, Nora taught the children how to make a bubble bath mixture. It took a lot of trial and error, but that was half the fun. That afternoon, they all sat together and sang, all the teachers and even the principal and her secretary included. And everyone liked it so much that they instated a weekly gathering in the Round Room, every Monday afternoon, to learn new songs, try new instruments, prepare a concert or a musical for the parents to see.

Nora was overjoyed that she no longer had to worry about music lessons, and was determined to keep it that way, so she held on to the tradition when the principal and several other teachers retired.

When Blaine arrived at Hawthorne, along with his friend Jeff, who became the PE teacher, they were very enthusiastic about the music gathering. Jeff promised to teach the children some dance steps, and Blaine made a list of every instrument he wanted to discover along with them. Tina struck up a friendship with both newcomers and completed the trio of music teachers. She often said the school gatherings reminded her of her glee club - often much noise and chaos, but also joy, friendship and lots of raw talent that shined through. The boys always looked rather nonplussed when she made that comparison - their orderly, well-regulated glee club didn't resemble the school gatherings in the least.

Since they had taken over the music lessons, these always started with the same song, just to get in the right mood. Blaine played it on his guitar, Tina sang, and all the children chimed in for the chorus. Here, at the book fair, they did it exactly the same way:

_Hey! Mister Tambourine Man, play a song for me  
>I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to<br>Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me  
>In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you (...)<em>

They had nearly reached the end of the song when suddenly, twice as many voices called on the Tambourine Man. A laughing Jeff herded Blaine's own class towards him, singing at the top of their lungs and waving for all they were worth.

Song in this chapter: Mr. Tambourine man, by Bob Dylan (the version sung by Melanie Safka)


	6. Chapter 6: Discoveries

**Author's note: this is from Blaine's point of view again. Next chapter will be Kurt :)**

Chapter Six: Discoveries

_"__The kid turned in Jeff's direction, as if the music were some kind of string winding around the long legs. Jeff kept his eyes down watching at the periphery of his vision the awkward and reluctant approach, as if the long legs were trying to move away from him but moved instead toward him." _(Cynthia Voigt, _A Solitary Blue_)

As soon as the song was over, the third graders all swamped down on Blaine, giggling and shouting and hugging him. "Wasn't it the best surprise ever, Mr. A?"

Blaine groaned under the onslaught, but managed to say: "Yes, yes, it certainly was! But … How?"

Jeff winked at him. "Never underestimate the persuading skills of twenty determined eight-year-olds! They managed to convince the principal that coming to see you at the book fair would be much more educational than the history lesson she had in store for them, and they roped me into taking them here, because as your friend, I wouldn't want to miss your book signing, of course."

They all laughed, then plumped down on the floor.

"Well, Mr A, it is Friday afternoon, you know," Robby reasoned. "You wouldn't want to make us miss story time, now, would you?"

Blaine hummed. "True, no, I wouldn't."

They sang a few more songs together, and halfway through their rendition of "Let it be", Blaine looked up to see that their impromptu concert had drawn quite a crowd, including the man he'd been spying on just now - Kurt, he reminded himself - and his niece Sarah, who was singing along with gusto. Kurt looked torn, as if he both wanted to bolt out the door to get away from Mr Smythe as fast and as far as he possibly could, and felt compelled to stay because the music spoke to him.

The decision was made for him when Tina noticed Kurt and pounced on him.

"Kurt! Oh my God, it's been ages! How've you been? What are you doing here? Who's that with you?"

She hugged Kurt within an inch of his life, and without waiting for him to answer her questions or considering their audience, she tugged him along towards Blaine.

"This is the man of the hour, my colleague Blaine! If you haven't read his storybooks yet, you most certainly should, they're amazing. As is Blaine himself, by the way. And totally gay!"

"Tina!"

The outraged cry came from both Kurt and Blaine.

"Oh, come on, Blaine, it's not like that's a dead secret, is it? Your bowties are tip-off enough! Anyway, I'm so glad that I have the both of you here together now. I've been meaning to introduce you to one another for years."

Kurt looked decidedly uncomfortable at the turn the conversation had taken. "Tina, please …"

Tina waved away his feeble protests and turned to Blaine again. "Blaine, this is Kurt. He and I were in glee club together, and became friends resisting Rachel's despotic rule. He's just as fabulous as he dresses, and I'm sure once you guys will get to know one another better, you'll find he's just as crazy about those scary Mark Easterbrook books as you are. Now, shake hands and make friends, go on."

Blaine obediently offered his hand to shake, smiled at Kurt and managed to mumble a polite "Pleased to meet you" before he lost all coherent thought.

Up close, the eyes were even more striking. They had an interesting colour, too. Like the sea on a clear autumn day just before sunset, the last rays of sunlight dotting the waves with gold sparkles.

It niggled at his mind. Who did those eyes remind him of? He could have sworn he'd seen them before, with that very same expression. And then it came to him.

"Argyle!"

Blaine blurted it out without thinking.

Kurt quirked his eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I mean … Sorry, that was rude. I just meant … You reminded me of someone. Just now. When you were giving Mr. Smythe the evil eye, forgive me the expression. It was the same vibe I got from Argyle in "Breathless". Just … _I'm going to annihilate you without even thinking twice about it_. You know what I mean … You have the same eyes, the same intensity, I could swear it was you who played Argyle in that movie. Scared me to death, too. I had nightmares about it for weeks."

Kurt chuckled. "Then why did you go see the film?"

Blaine felt his blood rush to his cheeks. He WAS a baby in that respect, no doubt about it. Whenever he read a book or saw a movie, it entirely drew him in, so he felt whatever the characters on the page or on screen were going through, and felt it keenly. Wes and Thad refused to go to the cinema with him because he annoyed them no end, laughing too loudly, crying unashamedly, commenting all the way through and hiding behind their shoulder during creepy scenes.

"I went because I loved the book and wanted to see how it translated to the screen. It's one of my favourite books ever. I've literally read it to pieces, I'll have to buy myself a new copy soon."

A hand tugged at his sleeve. "Mr A? Weren't you going to tell us a story?"

Blaine saw the children look up at him expectantly.

"Okay, so … Kurt, it was lovely talking to you, but I believe I promised these ladies and gentlemen a story, and they are getting impatient, so I had better get on with it. Feel free to stay and listen, though."

Kurt smiled. It made his eyes light up and crinkle, and for a second, Blaine lost his train of thought again. "What do you say, Sarah? Want to hear a story before we go?"

Sarah deliberated earnestly. "Well, if it's a good story, then, yes. But if it's a story like my daddy tells them …"

Robby interrupted her. "My daddy's like that, too. His stories are much too short and don't make any sense. But Mr A is the best storyteller there is, you'll see."

Sarah looked at Robby for a moment, considering. "Alright then. Can I sit by you?"

Sarah and Kurt both sat down. Blaine laid aside his guitar, drank some water, and then started the story:

_"__Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who was kidnapped by a giant. When the messenger told the king the bad news, he said: 'As if I didn't have enough trouble already. Literally everything goes against me today. Where is she?'_

_'__On Bristle Mountain, near the sea,' said the messenger. 'The giant's castle is over there. The princess is kept in the tower and is guarded by a dragon.'_

_'__Oh, yes, why not,' cried the king. 'A giant AND a dragon. As if one weren't enough! The poor child. She was very troublesome and disobedient lately, but she doesn't deserve this! What shall we do? Get me my doctor.'_

_'__Did you hear?' the king asked the doctor. 'My daughter's been abducted by a giant and is being guarded by a dragon! Tell me, what should I do?'_

_'__Well,' said the doctor, 'that's not really my area of expertise. I'm just an ordinary doctor and …'_

_'__Nonsense,' said the king. 'You cured her when she had the measles. So now you can come up with something again.'_

_'__Usually,' said the doctor, 'usually the king offers a reward to the prince who slays the dragon. That helps tremendously. Princes turn up in droves and there will probably be one who manages it.'_

_'__Alright, that's what we'll do then,' said the king with a sigh of relief. 'The prince who brings my daughter home unscathed, can have her.'_

_'__Plus half of your kingdom,' said the doctor._

_'__We'll see about that,' said the king. 'No need to overdo it.'_

_The announcement was made the very same day, and that evening, the first prince who wanted to try had already turned up._

_'__Aren't you a bit too dressed up for the occasion?' asked the king. 'Are you planning on defeating the dragon wearing white gloves?'_

_'__I'll take them off at the crucial moment,' said the prince, and he blushed handsomely. He looked absolutely dashing. He was wearing a blue velvet cloak, a white vest and trousers with bows, and his hair was permed._

_'__I have my doubts about this one,' said the king, when the fashion-plate prince rode away. 'I hope he won't manage it. He's too refined for me.'_

_A day later, the prince returned. He was coal black, full of scratches and his clothes were reduced to blue velvet rags. The giant had blown him off Bristle Mountain, he told the king, and he had rolled down helter-skelter through the bristly shrubs._

_'__Too bad, can't be helped,' said the king with a smile. 'Next candidate.'_

_The next prince wore a suit of armour. That gave him courage, but he came back entirely dented and crushed, for the giant had squeezed him and then thrown him into the ravine. When the prince had been freed of his armour, he didn't dare try again._

_'__Who's next,' said the king. 'What, no more volunteers?'_

_'__No more princes,' said the doctor. 'No other prince dares to try. But here's a poor boy who'd like to try. His name's George.'_

_'__George is a good name, when there are dragons involved,' said the king. 'Come here, George. Do you have a sword?'_

_'__No, sire,' said the boy._

_'__A lance?'_

_'__No, sire.'_

_'__Then what do you have?'_

_George emptied his pockets and said: 'A piece of green chalk. I happened to be playing with it just now. That's all I have.'_

_'__Shall I give you a full suit of armour?' asked the king._

_'__Nah', said George. 'I'll go like this. I'm not very good with swords and lances.'_

_'__Well, I have my doubts,' said the king. 'But it's your decision, I'm not going to stop you. Bye George.'_

_Off trotted the boy, up Bristle Mountain, all on his lonesome. It wasn't easy to climb up passing through prickly shrubs, but after a few hours he stood at the top of the mountain, panting, and immediately he walked into the naked shins of the giant, who was weeding his garden._

_'__Aha,' said the giant, and took him between his thumb and forefinger. 'There's number three. Come to free the princess, have you, little runt?'_

_'__Not at all,' said George. 'I was lost, that's all, and I know nothing about princesses.'_

_'__Don't you?' asked the giant. He sat down and put George on his knee, still holding him tightly. 'You can see the princess over there, behind the window in the tower. And can you see the dragon?'_

_'__I see him,' said George. 'Would you please stop pinching me so hard? It's rather hard to talk when somebody squishes you to jelly.'_

_'__Hahaha,' the giant boomed with laughter, and he held George less stiffly. 'What shall I do with you? I could throw you off the hill, but where's the fun in that?'_

_'__Where indeed', said George._

_'__I could add you to tonight's sauerkraut,' said the giant. 'Wait, I have an old bird cage here, I'll put you in there till then.' He put George in the cage and gently swayed him to and fro. Then he started laughing again._

_George laughed just as hard, and then said: "Heh heh, nothing like a good laugh. I'm glad they all lied. It isn't true what they're all saying.'_

_'__Who?' asked the giant._

_'__The people down there,' said George. 'They've been saying you were ill for a long time.'_

_'__Me, ill?' said the giant. 'Well, that's not true, as you can see. I'm as fit as a fiddle.'_

_'__I can see that,' said George. 'Those idiots said you were turning nice and green, but I don't see anything.'_

_'__Green?' asked the giant. 'What do you mean, green?'_

_'__Well, the smother sickness, of course,' said George. 'A dragon's breath is so dangerously unhealthy, everybody knows that. It gives you the smother sickness, you see? And then you get green spots. That goes without saying. But I haven't seen any yet on your body.' All the while, George kept frowning at the uncovered knee of the giant._

_The giant followed his gaze. On his knee, he saw lots of green spots. He tried to get them off with his sleeve, but they wouldn't come off. George's piece of chalk was excellent, and he'd put the spots there firmly, without the giant noticing._

_'__W-w-what is t-t-that?' stuttered the giant. 'Green spots? So it's beginning?'_

_'__It's not that bad yet', said George consolingly. 'You could live for another month, for sure. Six months, if the dragon weren't there, but the poor beast can't help it that its breath is poisonous. You can hardly kill your own dragon, can you?'_

_'__Can't I?' hollered the giant. 'I'll show you! Do you really think I'd let myself be poisoned by that monster?'_

_He ran into his castle, came back with a huge spear and stormed towards the dragon._

_George sat in the cage, and from between the bars, he watched the most epic spectacle he'd ever beheld: a fight between the giant and the dragon._

_The dragon snorted and blew out fiery clouds of yellow steam, and flames came from between his formidable jaws. He twisted his green scaly body, clobbered with his sweeping tail and bit every which way with his dragon teeth, while the giant circled around him and tried to hit him._

_'__Hurray! Go on! Go Gators!' George screamed in his cage. What he said, made no sense, but it was the best he could come up with._

_The giant had retreated a little and now he came charging with his spear. It was terrible to watch. The dragon twisted this way and that, but the spear caught him straight in the heart. And there lay the bloody monstrous beast, with his tongue lolling out. Dead as a doornail._

_'__Well?' said the giant, panting. 'Did you see that?'_

_'__Bravo!' cheered George, and he clapped his hands. 'You're such a hero. And now that the dragon is dead, you can easily live for six more months. Easily. Maybe even seven.'_

_'__No more than that?' complained the giant, and he sat down looking sad, and buried his head in his hands. 'I want to live for another hundred years.'_

_'__Doesn't everybody,' said George. 'But the smother sickness is deadly, that's just the way it is. And no man on earth can reach the white dragon weed, not even a giant.'_

_'__What, what do you mean white dragon weed, what are you talking about?' asked the giant._

_'__It grows over there,' said George, and he pointed to the seaside, where the cliffs steeply descended into the sea. 'If you released me, I could find you some.'_

_'__Release you?' cried the giant, furious. 'I'm onto you, buddy. You'll take off and leave me to die after seven months. I have a better idea. I'll take you with me, in my hand, and you can point me to that white dragon weed.'_

_He took George out of the cage and stepped onto the highest peak of the steep cliffs. 'If I fall, so do you,' he grinned._

_'__Go stand there on that cliff,' said George. The giant did as he was told. 'Can you see the white flowers between those two stones? That's it.'_

_The giant bended over and reached for it, but it was just out of reach. 'You'd better do it with your other arm,' said George. 'With the hand I'm in. I'll reach for you.' The giant did as he was told._

_'__That's it,' yelled George. 'A bit further, just a bit further, go on.'_

_'__Like this?' panted the giant, who was now completely bending forward._

_'__Yes!' shouted George, and he bit down hard on the giant's thumb._

_'__Ouch!' yelled the giant. Startled, he dropped the boy, who fell into a shrub just beneath. The giant himself lost his balance and fell off the steep cliffs into the sea, with a huge big splash. The water splashed up a hundred metres and the giant drowned._

_'__And that was that,' said George, who took his time climbing up the mountain. He only had a few bruises, and he calmly went to the tower to go fetch the princess._

_'__No prince?' said the princess, surprised. 'Not even a knight?'_

_'__None of your lip, girl,' said George, 'or I'll leave you here and you can find your own way home.'_

_'__No, no,' shouted the princess as fast as she could. 'Please bring me home.'_

_George put her over his shoulder and climbed off the mountain._

_'__Look who's there!' yelled the king, overjoyed, when they arrived. 'My dearest daughter! Now you'll have to marry him, you knew that, right?'_

_'__Yes,' said the princess. 'And I'll do it, willingly.'_

_The next Wednesday, the wedding took place, and there were so many fireworks that people are still talking about it today."_

**I hope you don't mind me including Blaine's story :) It's from a Dutch fairy tale book called "****_Heksen en zo_****", written by Annie M. G. Schmidt. I translated the story into English myself.**


	7. Chapter 7: Another Blast From The Past

Chapter 7: Another blast from the past

"_Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!_

_For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night._" (William Shakespeare, _Romeo and Juliet_)

Kurt and Sarah stood in line to pay for the autographed book. Kurt meant to leave directly after, but he found himself distracted by music. Someone was playing the guitar, and a group of children was singing. Sarah was curious, too, and together, they gravitated towards the sound.

The children seemed to be about Sarah's age or a little younger, and they belted out the song as if they were very familiar with it, and as if it was completely normal to just randomly burst into song in the middle of a book fair. Those kids were budding glee clubbers, Kurt thought. They sounded pretty good. Was it a class outing? If so, why weren't they waiting in line to get Seb's autograph? And why on earth were they singing?

The man playing the guitar hadn't come here with them, Kurt knew. He'd been sitting there all morning, a table laden with books in front of him, and behind him a couple of posters showing a whimsical watercolour painting of an oddly-dressed woman fighting off a shark with an umbrella, and block-lettering underneath that his name was Blaine Anderson and that he was signing his books today and tomorrow from 10 AM until 4 PM.

Kurt had felt a bit sorry for Mr Anderson that he had to be on call that long, especially since every visitor clearly only had eyes for Seb and completely ignored the stand next to Seb's. Mr Anderson hadn't seemed bored though, the few times Kurt glanced at him. On the contrary, he seemed to be studying the people queuing quite intently at first, and later on he was drawing, with the complete absorption Kurt recognised as the beckoning of a muse's call. A soft smile played around his lips, and he seemed perfectly content to ignore and be ignored by everyone else present.

And now he was performing songs with a children's choir as if it was his day job. Was it? The children seemed certainly seemed in synch with him, knowing all the words to the songs perfectly, requesting their favourites and rhythmically swinging to and fro together. The woman and man accompanying the children sang along, too. They had lovely voices. He could have sworn he recognised the woman's voice, and sure enough, when he came closer, he recognised her at once. Tina Cohen-Chang. Another blast from the past. Another conversation he couldn't stomach on so little sleep. Could he disappear before she noticed him?

And then the music segued into one of his favourite Beatles songs, and Mr Anderson looked up halfway through and looked straight at him, his lips quirking up into a shy smile, his eyes and voice reminding Kurt of liquid honey, and he just couldn't turn away if he tried.

Mesmerised, he stood there, watching, listening, floating away to that happy place music never failed to provide for him. He forgot about Sarah, he forgot about Seb and just savoured the moment, until reality caught up with him again in the form of an impetuous hug bestowed on him by Tina, who had discovered him in the audience.

"Kurt! Oh my God, it's been ages! How've you been? What are you doing here? Who's that with you?"

Kurt hugged her back hesitantly, and was about to answer her questions when she took his hand and tugged him along towards Mr Anderson. Caught off guard, he stumbled slightly and had to grab her arm with his other hand to stay upright.

She gestured to Mr Anderson theatrically, beaming with pride.

"This is the man of the hour, my colleague Blaine! If you haven't read his storybooks yet, you most certainly should, they're amazing. As is Blaine himself, by the way. And totally gay!"

"Tina!"

The rebuke, sharp and swift, tumbled not only from Blaine's lips, but also from Kurt's. _Really, Tina? The man is here to promote his books, he finally has a crowd interested in him now and you think it's a good idea to proclaim publically and at the top of your lungs that he's gay? In a provincial town in OHIO? I hope Blaine freezes you out sufficiently for that. I know I will. This is SO not done!_

Tina didn't seem to realise the momentousness of her faux pas. At all.

"Oh, come on, Blaine, it's not like that's a dead secret, is it? Your bowties are tip-off enough! Anyway, I'm so glad that I have the both of you here together now. I've been meaning to introduce you to one another for years."

_Okay, first you casually out the man in public and now you make matters worse by actively trying to hook us up? Are you insane?_

Kurt, nearly trembling with rage, bit back a biting retort and tried to control his temper. It wouldn't do to explode twice within the span of an hour, and Tina probably didn't even fathom the effect her impulsive tongue might produce on the audience. A quick look around told Kurt that no-one in the vicinity looked repulsed, so maybe no harm was done. Still, better to nip this in the bud …

"Tina, please …"

Tina ignored him and turned to Blaine again. "Blaine, this is Kurt. He and I were in glee club together, and became friends resisting Rachel's despotic rule. He's just as fabulous as he dresses, and I'm sure once you guys will get to know one another better, you'll find he's just as crazy about those scary Mark Easterbrook books as you are. Now, shake hands and make friends, go on."

_Quite a fan of Kurt's novels, was he? Interesting_. Blaine's books seemed a very different genre, but now Kurt really wanted to check them out. _Later_, he promised himself.

Blaine held his hand out and quietly said: "Pleased to meet you." Kurt shook hands mutely, lost in the beautiful smile that graced Blaine's lips and the eyes searing straight into his soul. However much he resented Tina for throwing them together this way, he couldn't deny the attraction he felt to Blaine. Not to mention that it felt really good to have Blaine's hand in his, however fleetingly.

Blaine seemed to be pondering something, and then a flash of recognition shot through his eyes.

"Argyle!" he blurted out.

"Excuse me?" asked Kurt, perplexed.

"I mean … Sorry, that was rude. I just meant … You reminded me of someone. Just now. When you were giving Mr. Smythe the evil eye, forgive me the expression. It was the same vibe I got from Argyle in "Breathless". Just … _I'm going to annihilate you without even thinking twice about it_. You know what I mean … You have the same eyes, the same intensity, I could swear it was you who played Argyle in that movie. Scared me to death, too. I had nightmares about it for weeks."

Blaine abruptly stopped rambling and blushed slightly. If Kurt hadn't been so shocked, he'd have appreciated the off-the-charts cute factor of bashful Blaine. As it was, he had to struggle to keep his poker face firmly in place. Blaine had recognised him? Just because of his eyes? Up until now, no-one had realised Kurt played a role in that film. Not even Burt, who'd seen "Breathless" twice in the cinema and countless times on dvd, at home, and could quote entire chunks of dialogue as a result. _Keep it together, Hummel, don't let on he found you out_.

Kurt chuckled lightly and focussed on the mention of the nightmares. "Then why did you go see the film?"

Blaine's blush deepened, and that was really too adorable.

"I went because I loved the book and wanted to see how it translated to the screen. It's one of my favourite books ever. I've literally read it to pieces. I'll have to buy myself a new copy soon."

A child demanded Blaine's attention. "Mr A? Weren't you going to tell us a story?"

Blaine looked at the children, then back at Kurt, and sighed.

"Okay, so … Kurt, it was lovely talking to you, but I believe I promised these ladies and gentlemen a story, and they are getting impatient, so I had better get on with it. Feel free to stay and listen, though."

Kurt smiled. Storytime and he didn't have to do the storytelling himself? Yes, please!

He remembered Sarah, and turned to her: "What do you say, Sarah? Want to hear a story before we go?"

Of course, Sarah being Rachel's daughter, she didn't just say yes.

"Well, if it's a good story, then, yes. But if it's a story like my daddy tells them …"

That was a valid point. Finn had many sterling qualities, but storytelling was definitely not one of them. Telling stories mostly fell to Uncle Kurt's or Grandpa Burt's lot.

One of the other children interrupted her. "My daddy's like that, too. His stories are much too short and don't make any sense. But Mr A is the best storyteller there is, you'll see."

Sarah looked at him for a moment, considering. "Alright then. Can I sit by you?"

They sat down and listened. Blaine was brilliant, no doubt about it. His story held all the usual elements of a fairy tale, but switched up cleverly. It was light, funny, pithy and quirky, and held both the adults and the children enthralled. Kurt had no doubt that after that performance, Blaine would have gained quite a few fans, and would have acquired a queue of his very own for his book signing. And if he was honest, he'd include himself in that party.


	8. Chapter 8: Time To Move On

Chapter Eight: Time to move on

"_Forgive me, dear, I can't help seeing that you are very lonely, and sometimes there is a hungry look in your eyes that goes to my heart._" (Louisa May Alcott, _Good  
>Wives<em>)

Kurt was right. After the story, Blaine got a generous hand of applause, and then people went to his stand to check out his books. Kurt saw him hug Tina and heard him tell the children he'd be back on Monday. So he was a teacher? It suited him, Kurt decided. And maybe next time the New Directions alumni scheduled a reunion, Kurt would actually go and he'd catch up with Tina.

She'd never been one of the gleeks he was closest to, but he liked her and Mike well enough. If he was honest with himself, they were the reason he hadn't fully given up on love yet. Mike and Tina had been together since high school, and had managed to avoid the drama, love triangles and break-ups that abounded in the glee club, where almost everyone had crushed on, flirted with, slept with or had a relationship with one another. They were the ship that made it safely through the storm, and he envied them for it.

Before Sebastian, he might have hoped to have that, too, one day. To find that one special person, who would make his life complete, who would both make him feel grounded and make him soar up into the sky. Who would love him for exactly who and what he was.

But he gave that dream up at sixteen. He buried the longing and the heartache behind steel walls, never letting anyone in. He went through life acting cool and composed. Nothing ever seemed to faze the indomitable Kurt Hummel. Nothing seemed to really reach him, neither the bad stuff nor the good. He froze out his bullies and tormentors, but he also kept potential friends at arm's length. Even Burt never got as close to him again as he was before Elizabeth died. Kurt guarded his heart, and guarded it well.

He played his cards close to his chest. He never told Burt about Sebastian. He never told anyone in Lima he'd been on TV for years. He never told anyone other than Burt and aunt Mary about his writing (Puck had found out one day by accident, but had been sworn to secrecy). He never officially came out to anyone.

People knew him as a designer specialising in men's wear and selling a successful line of fashion accessories exclusively online. He'd never been anyone's boyfriend and had never yet shown interest in either a man or a woman. But as wary as he was of trusting anyone, and as terrified as he was at the thought of falling in love again, he felt horribly lonely.

Maybe now that he'd seen Sebastian again, that would provide the closure he needed. He wasn't still hung up on Seb, of course not. He was still angry, that went without saying, but it was about time he stopped letting one incident rule his entire life. Maybe it was time to stop treating the world at large as if it were a big bad wolf about to eat him.

He turned to Sarah, who was studying Blaine's posters.

"Okay, Sarah, back to Lima we go!"

But Sarah refused to budge.

"I want to tell Mr A that I liked his story, and I want him to sign one of his books for me, too."

Kurt bestowed one of his patented glares on her.

"I mean, please, uncle Kurt? Pretty please?"

He heard a chuckle next to him and a familiar voice said:

"Your niece is just as fickle in her affections as you are, Hummel. Replaced me with a new idol already, I see."

_Why can't Seb just leave me alone_, Kurt thought, but he knew better than to rise to the bait.

"She has good taste in men, though," continued Sebastian. "Maybe I should go and introduce myself to him before I go. It would be the polite thing to do, wouldn't it?"

This time, Kurt had a harder time keeping his poker face intact. A wave of anger slammed through him, coupled with a fiercely protective instinct. Blaine seemed like a nice guy. Too nice to be gobbled up and then spat out again by Sebastian Smythe.

Seb noticed, of course he did. "Jealous, Hummel? You want him for yourself? So that's why you're not interested in hooking up with me once more for old times' sake?"

Kurt saw red. "As if anything could tempt me to try you again! I loved you! And look where it got me: drunk, used and publicly disgraced! And then you had the nerve to turn your back on me and laugh! Just stay away from me, and stay away from decent people like Blaine."

He grabbed Sarah's hand and stalked towards the exit, stemming her protests with a curt "Not now, Sarah."

It wasn't until they were nearly back in Lima that he noticed his phone had gone missing. He usually clipped it to his belt, but now the holster was empty. He searched through the glove compartment of the car, but of course, it wasn't there. He remembered jotting down his murder ideas earlier, so he'd had it at the book fair. Had he put the phone back into the holster then? He hadn't left it at Seb's stand, had he? For heaven's sake, could this day get any worse?


	9. Chapter 9: Time To Shine

Chapter Nine: Time To Shine

"_When she finished there were bursts of honest applause. […] Smiling, blushing, limpid-eyed, Anne tripped back and gave a quaint, funny little selection that captivated her audience still further. The rest of the evening was quite a little triumph for her._" (Lucy Maud Montgomery, _Anne of Green Gables_)

As soon as Blaine ended the fairy tale, the crowd that had gathered clapped long and hard. He'd chanced a few quick glances at Kurt while he was telling the story and was gratified to see him smiling, entranced and intrigued. Well, if that's what it took to lure Kurt's interest, he'd go all Pied Piper and keep weaving his word magic for hours and days on end.

Only, he couldn't, he realised. Everyone had enjoyed his music and his story, and now they were swarming towards his stand, checking out the posters, thumbing through his books, clearly waiting for him to sit down and chat with them and sign books. So, with a last regretful look towards Kurt, he quickly said goodbye to his colleagues and to his class and Tina's, and went to his stand again.

He loved talking to people about his books, and where he got his inspiration, and what he used to read himself as a child, and what he liked to read now. He was a bit distracted, though, when he heard Sarah proclaim loudly that she wanted one of his books, signed by him. Kurt didn't seem very inclined to give in to her demands, and then, moments later, he was accosted by Mr Smythe.

It looked like the tall man was flirting with Kurt. Unfortunately, his voice wasn't as stentorian as Sarah's, so he couldn't hear the exact words that were spoken. The facial expressions, however, were crystal clear. Mr Smythe looked smug and puckish, whereas Kurt projected an aura so arctic that it was a wonder it didn't freeze off the fingers and toes of anyone in the vicinity. Whatever their relationship was or had been, Kurt was over it and was impervious to Mr Smythe's further advances. _Good_, purred his subconscious mind. _Mine!_

After an indignant speech, Kurt grabbed Sarah's hand and they left. Blaine felt a bit deflated, but he supposed it was for the best. Now he could concentrate on chatting with his readers and charming those who hadn't tried his books yet but felt inclined to.

The rest of the afternoon, he was kept very busy and wore out several sharpies signing books and drawing droll little figures in them on demand. Lots of children wanted a picture with him, too, and he delighted in devising silly poses to make them giggle. He had a blast posing with a scrunched nose or an exaggerated look of terror, sticking his tongue out, jumping high into the air, standing on his hands, wielding an imaginary sword and shield, piggybacking a child and even a blushing mother or two.

To his surprise, many people asked him if he'd sing and tell stories on Saturday, too, because they planned on coming back if that were the case. Gratified, he said he'd certainly consider it if they were interested, making a mental note to bring along his guitar again and to think of a good story.

His favourite moment, though, was towards the end of the afternoon, when a four-year-old escaped her mom, who was waiting to pay for her purchases, and crawled onto his lap. It was half past five PM at that point, and the book fair was closing at six, so the crowd had dwindled to a mere trickle. His appointed book-signing hours were over, but he had nowhere else to be, and he loved the atmosphere of the book fair too much to leave before closing time.

The girl introduced herself as Ashley and asked him what his name was. "Blaine is such a pretty name!" she enthused, and then proceeded to ask him how old he was, if he had brothers and sisters, whether or not they were nice, and any other question her inquisitive mind came up with.

She pointed her finger imperiously at the bookmarks and said she wanted one, and with her new treasure securely in her fist, she asked him to read to her from his books. He glanced at Ashley's mother, who hadn't yet discovered her daughter's absence, and figured he had better entertain Ashley so that she would stay put until her mother found her. So he told her a story, and he drew her some pictures, too, and let her colour them in.

When Ashley's mother came to collect her, a six-year-old boy and a ten-year-old girl in tow and sporting a relieved but exasperated expression, the girl on his lap was fast asleep. He offered to help carry her to the car, and carefully strapped her into her car seat. Ashley's mother both apologised and thanked him profusely, and promised to come back the next day.

He went back inside and started tidying up his stand. Suddenly, he stopped and stared. Under the pictures the girl had coloured, there was a smartphone. A sleek, expensive, state-of-the-art phone. And it wasn't his.

It made sense that it belonged to Ashley's mother, so he tore back to the parking lot at breakneck speed, but of course, she had already left. He tucked the smartphone into his shirt pocket. She had said she'd come back to the book fair, so he could give the phone to her on Saturday.

He approached Bill, the fair manager, and asked if a smartphone had been reported as missing. It hadn't, just as he thought.

Bill complimented him on his "show" and said the book fair had attracted more visitors than previous years because of it. Blaine chuckled and answered that he'd been requested to sing and tell stories again tomorrow, that he had no objection to doing so, and if Bill wanted to advertise that fact, he most certainly could.

All in all, it had been an amazing day. Sure, he was exhausted, sweaty from the silly photo shoots, his hair was a curly mess and his stomach growled, demanding to be fed, but he grinned from ear to ear when he stepped into his car to head back to his apartment.

He'd met tons of interesting people, he'd sung with his class and Tina's, he'd told a story and everyone had liked it and asked for a repeat performance. Sweet success!

He was a bit sad that Kurt hadn't come over and talked to him after his story, but he supposed that if it was meant to be, they would meet again. And maybe next time Tina started talking about her glee club, he'd pay a bit more attention to what she was saying. And wasn't she hosting a Halloween party this weekend? True, she lived all the way in Lima, but surely she'd let him crash on her sofa if he wasn't in any condition to drive back to Westerville … He'd send her a text message about it now before he could forget.

**To Tay-Tay: **

Hey Tay-Tay! The book signing went great. Thanks for coming over and bringing me lunch.

**To Tay-Tay:**

By popular request, I'm going to sing and tell stories tomorrow, too :-)

**To Tay-Tay:**

Say, aren't you having a Halloween party on Sunday? Can I come?

**To Blaine_Warbler:**

I'm glad you had a good time, Bling-Bling. Did you speak to Kurt after the storytelling?

**To Blaine_Warbler:**

Yes, I'm having a party, and of course you can come. It starts at 7.30 PM.

**To Blaine_Warbler:**

Bring Niff as well, will you?

**To Tay-Tay:**

No, he left. Another time perhaps. He seemed nice.

**To Tay-Tay:**

I'll ask Nick and Jeff. Can't make promises, though, they might have other plans already.

**To Blaine_Warbler:**

Okay, let me know, will you? See you on Sunday! Can't wait!

**To Tay-Tay:**

I'll call you tomorrow. Looking forward to the party :-)


	10. Chapter 10: Gonna Reach My Telephone

Chapter Ten: Gonna Reach My Telephone

"_There are no accidents. People come in and out of our lives for a reason and where we end up is where we were destined to be all along_." (Mandy Hale)

Blaine was sitting on his sofa, watching an episode of Hoarders and mindlessly doodling, when all of a sudden, his phone rang. Correction: the lost phone rang. His ring tone was always a Katy Perry song, this was Lady Gaga's Telephone. _Fitting_, he thought. _Should I answer the phone?_

It kept ringing insistently, so he took it out of his shirt pocket, accepted the call and said: "Hello?"

Nobody answered at first, so he repeated: "Hello?"

Still no answer.

Blaine tried again: "I'm sorry, I found this phone earlier today and I don't know exactly who it belongs to. I'm sorry if you're trying to reach that person. But, hey, if you speak up and let me know whose phone this is, I'll get it back to them in a flash, I promise."

Finally, a voice answered: "Blaine? Blaine Anderson?"

Dumbfounded, Blaine stared at the phone. Was this someone he knew? The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't really place it. "Yes, this is Blaine Anderson speaking. May I ask who is calling?"

"I'm the owner of the phone. We met earlier today, at the book fair, through a mutual friend. Kurt. Kurt Hummel."

Blaine sat there gaping like a fish. _Kurt? Wow, what are the odds? I knew I'd heard that voice before! Okay, say something, you idiot!_

"Oh, hey, Kurt." _Smooth, Anderson, really smooth_.

"I was just calling to see whether someone had found my phone. I'm glad you have."

"Do you want me to come and bring it to you? If you text me your address, I will." _Because I really really want to see you again._

"Oh no, it can wait. It's nine PM already and you probably don't live in Lima, do you?"

"No, sorry, I live in Westerville. But I could come drop it off after the book fair tomorrow, if you like?" _That wasn't too pushy, was it? Well, I have to get his phone back to him somehow …_

"You're signing books again tomorrow?"

"Yes, same hours as today. I'm going to sing and tell a story again, too. Loads of people told me they'd come back tomorrow if I performed again. Guess they liked it." _No, I'm not fishing for a compliment, Kurt, but I'd like one all the same …_

"You were brilliant. Maybe I'll come by tomorrow to pick up my phone. Sarah wanted a book signed by you anyway. When's story time planned? Wouldn't want to miss it …" Kurt chuckled softly.

_He's coming to see me again? Better and better!_

"It's not set in stone yet, but I think it'll be around 2 PM." _Please say you'll be there!_

"Okay, it's a date! I'm bringing Sarah and her brother. I'm warning you, though; maybe Sarah's mother will want to come along, too, now that Sarah's been talking about you non-stop the whole evening."

"The more the merrier." _Actually, I'd rather have you to myself, but I'll be glad to see you regardless._

"Alright then. Thank you for rescuing my phone, and I'll see you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow!"

Blaine put the phone carefully on the coffee table, then got up and danced a happy jig around the living room. Yes! He was going to see Kurt again. And so soon, too! Would he dare to ask Kurt if he planned on coming to Tina's party?

**K&B**

The next day, he arrived early again at the book fair and sketched until the book signing was scheduled to begin. He'd had an idea for a new story, and for him, it always started with images, so he sketched until he had the entire outline. And if the main character looked a bit like Kurt, well, that was pure coincidence. He couldn't help it that Kurt looked like he came straight out of a storybook, now, could he?

With no Mr Smythe to take the attention away from Blaine, people lined up eagerly to talk to him and get his autograph. One person asked why he'd chosen that particular book character to be featured on his posters, and he explained that it was because of the message she exuded. Perdita was an unlikely heroine, but put on the spot she reacted just the right way to save the day. And Blaine liked to believe that we all have the potential in us to make a difference in a person's life by the simplest of actions, and that we should strive to live up to that potential every single day of our lives.

Another reader complimented Blaine on his accurate depiction of how a child thought and reacted and wanted to know if he had children of his own. Blaine shook his head, smiling, but explained that, as an elementary school teacher, he'd acquired some insight into the workings of a young mind.

At noon, he shared his sandwiches with Jeff and Nick, who'd dropped by with Nick's half-sisters in tow. Iris and Nina were nine and seven years old, respectively, and they loved Blaine. Usually, that love was mutual, but when Blaine noticed they'd eaten all the chocolate chip cookies he'd brought as dessert, he was less than pleased. However, he was thankful for the distraction they provided as 2 PM neared.

Would Kurt come, as promised? Would Blaine hear him sing? Would he like the new story? Would he stay and talk a bit afterwards?

Nick and Jeff agreed to stay and provide back-up for the sing-along, and towards 2 PM, Blaine announced to the crowd that he'd sing a few songs, encouraging all the children and their parents to join in, and promising to tell them a story afterwards if they had done a good job.

He'd just played the first few chords of Mr Tambourine Man when he heard Sarah's voice pipe up, and a fierce joy lit up his face when he looked her way and saw Kurt. They locked eyes for a moment, and Blaine's smile grew impossibly wider when Kurt started singing along. Wow, what a voice! And the tiny brunette next to him - Sarah's mother, probably, they looked so alike - had an exceptional range and projection. Yes, he definitely needed to ask Tina about the glee club she'd been in. Or ask her what was in the drinking water in Lima, Ohio, that everyone there seemed to be graced with singing skills worthy of Whitney Houston.

When they'd sung for a while, he praised the children for having sung so beautifully, and asked them whether they'd like to hear a story now. The resounding YES that answered his question made him chuckle, and he proceeded to tell them the Japanese folk tale of the Three Strong Women.

The applause he got afterwards warmed his heart, but he had eyes for only one listener, who made his way to Blaine as soon as the crowd dispersed. Sarah, her mother and her brother followed in his wake.

"Hey," said Kurt. "That was lovely. The crowd ate it up."

Blaine felt a blush creep up. "Thank you."

"This is my sister-in-law, Rachel. Sarah you already know, and this young man is called Toby. He wasn't feeling too well yesterday, but today, he's on top of the world, aren't you, Tobes?"

The boy hid behind his mother, big chocolate eyes peeping at Blaine from between Rachel's legs.

Rachel shook his hand and smiled at him. "So you're the famous Blaine … Tina's told me about you. And Sarah's quite smitten with you, too. You've managed to supplant Sebastian Smythe as her favourite author in just one afternoon. I'm impressed."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rachel. These are my friends Nick and Jeff, also known as Niff for short, because they're inseparable, and Nick's sisters Iris and Nina. Niff and I were in the Dalton Warblers together. You were in Tina's glee club, in high school?"

"The lead singer, actually," Rachel clarified proudly.

"The bossiest singer, actually, who always got her way and hogged all the solos," rectified Kurt.

"Hey!" protested Rachel. "That's …"

"The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But we love you anyway, honey," said Kurt, pulling her close and kissing her on the temple.

Rachel, who had looked as though she wanted to hit him just a minute ago, melted visibly under his gentle touch and smiled at him affectionately.

"We've always been very close, the lot of us. We fought a lot, but we had each other's backs. I married my duet partner from glee club, and Tina and Quinn did, too."

Kurt snorted. "You make it sound like glee club was a dating service. I still think it was madness that you and Finn got married in senior year. Quinn, I can understand, because she wanted to raise Beth with Puck, but you had no reason to get married that early."

Rachel shrugged. "It seemed the right thing to do at the time. I thought I'd manage to go to college anyway, but then I got pregnant straightaway and had Sarah, and Finn was away all the time at the police academy, so I had to drop out of college and focus on my family. I don't regret it, though. I'm so happy with Finn and my babies."

She sounded a bit wistful, though, Blaine thought. Time to change the topic!

"Tina's having a Halloween party on Sunday. Niff and I will be there. Are you all coming, too?" he asked.

Rachel looked at Kurt. "We haven't discussed it yet, but Finn's off duty, so we could come. Do you think Burt and Carole would mind baby-sitting?"

Kurt grinned. "Yesterday, dad complained again that he doesn't get to see his grandkids often enough these days, so you'd be doing him a kindness, really."

Sarah jumped up and down in excitement. "We get to stay at grandpa's on Sunday? Yay!"

She turned to Blaine and said: "Grandpa Burt tells good stories too, but I like yours better."

"Thank you for the compliment," smiled Blaine.

"Mama, can I have a book signed by Blaine?" purred Sarah, her eyes wide and beseeching.

"If you promise to be good for grandpa and grandma on Sunday," Rachel bargained.

"I will, I promise!"

Blaine chuckled. "Right this way then. Kurt, come along too, I still have your phone."


	11. Chapter 11: Hello, Is It Me

Chapter Eleven: Hello, Is It Me You're Looking For?

"_Tess's grandmother used to say, think before you speak; she also used to say, look before you leap. Tess can imagine how her grandmother would be tutting at her now. She hadn't actually thought about what she was going to say or what she was hoping to hear when she had phoned the number_ […]." (Freya North, _Secrets_)

Kurt's head felt as though it was about to split in two. Ever since they'd gotten home, Sarah had been going on and on about Blaine. You'd think she'd completely forgotten she actually wanted to score Seb's autograph this morning. She'd unceremoniously dumped Seb's autographed book on the sofa when they got in and hadn't glanced at it since. Instead, she was retelling Blaine's story for the benefit of her parents and grandparents, with all the dramatic flair of a seasoned actress. She really was the spitting image of Rachel in every respect, though she'd definitely grow up to be taller than her mother, having inherited her father's long limbs.

Toby was clamping himself onto his mother's or father's leg like a koala bear, whining loudly that he wanted juice, that he wanted his Eeyore stuffed toy, that he wanted mommy or daddy to carry him around, that his throat hurt, that he wanted to tell a story too and why wouldn't anybody listen to him?

Rachel was berating Finn for coming home much later than his shift ended and with his stomach already full and beer on his breath. "I don't care how long ago it is that you last saw Puck, you might have let me know you'd be eating out!"

Burt had the television on at full volume showing a football match and was alternately shouting encouragements and berating the players at the top of his voice.

All that noise, combined with Kurt's early start this morning and the emotional rollercoaster the day had taken him on were culminating in a killer headache, and he just wanted to shut down all his senses, crawl into bed and sleep.

He was in the kitchen with Carole, doing the dishes, their every attempt at conversation drowning in the general cacophony, and he winced every now and then, rubbing his temples or resting his forehead against the cool metal surface of the fridge.

Carole rinsed the last of the pans, dried her hands and took over Kurt's dishtowel. She laid her hand on his arm and said softly: "You look exhausted. I'll finish up here. Go home and get some sleep."

That sounded like a really good idea, so he quickly said goodnight to everyone and drove to his house. He had just finished his skincare routine and was about to drink a mug of hot milk when he remembered his phone. He hoped it would be found soon, and he hoped the finder wouldn't pry. Maybe it had been found already? Well, he had a landline, so he could find out, he supposed. Would it be weird for him to call his own phone and see whether someone answered the call?

Moments later, he had dialled his cell phone number and was waiting for someone to pick up the phone.

He was just about to give up when he heard a click and a "Hello?"

Who was that? He knew that voice, he was sure of it.

"Hello?"

Why did he feel like he knew this person? _Hummel, stop behaving like a freaky stalker and answer or you'll never get your phone back!_

There was the voice again: "I'm sorry, I found this phone earlier today and I don't know exactly who it belongs to. I'm sorry if you're trying to reach that person. But, hey, if you speak up and let me know whose phone this is, I'll get it back to them in a flash, I promise."

And then it came to him. Those honey tones were Blaine's, he'd bet his Tom Ford tuxedo on it! So he asked: "Blaine? Blaine Anderson?"

There was silence for a moment, and then he heard: "Yes, this is Blaine Anderson speaking. May I ask who is calling?"

_Oh, of course, he can't see you over the phone, you idiot, so be polite and tell him who you are, before you completely freak him out_. "I'm the owner of the phone. We met earlier today, at the book fair, through a mutual friend. Kurt. Kurt Hummel."

_Okay, that sounded very pompous, but it served its purpose, I guess_.

Blaine was silent for a beat, then said "Oh, hey, Kurt" sounding pleased.

Kurt continued: "I was just calling to see whether someone had found my phone. I'm glad you have." _Because that means I will get to see you again_.

"Do you want me to come and bring it to you? If you text me your address, I will," Blaine offered. He sounded both hesitant and eager.

_Seems like I made an impression on him, too. Good to know we're on the same page. Only, I'm really not in the mood for company right now._

"Oh no, it can wait. It's nine PM already and you probably don't live in Lima, do you?"

_If you did, I'd have noticed you before, I can tell you_.

"No, sorry, I live in Westerville," clarified Blaine, sounding apologetic about it. "But I could come drop it off after the book fair tomorrow, if you like?"

Again, the hesitancy was there. Kurt remembered Blaine blushing when they spoke that afternoon. Apparently, Blaine was a bit shy when he wasn't performing or waxing poetic on a topic he was passionate about.

"You're signing books again tomorrow?" asked Kurt.

"Yes, same hours as today. I'm going to sing and tell a story again, too. Loads of people told me they'd come back tomorrow if I performed again. Guess they liked it."

Kurt heard pride in Blaine's voice, mingled with uncertainty and surprise.

"You were brilliant," he agreed wholeheartedly. And then, lured by the promise of another story, he added: "Maybe I'll come by tomorrow to pick up my phone. Sarah wanted a book signed by you anyway. When's story time planned? Wouldn't want to miss it …"

He chuckled at himself. _Could you be any more obvious?_

"It's not set in stone yet, but I think it'll be around 2 PM," answered Blaine.

"Okay, it's a date!" said Kurt, then face-palmed. _Why did I say that? Okay, some backtracking is in order_. "I'm bringing Sarah and her brother. I'm warning you, though; maybe Sarah's mother will want to come along, too, now that Sarah's been talking about you non-stop the whole evening."

_There, that makes it a lot more family-friendly_.

"The more the merrier," replied Blaine.

"Alright then. Thank you for rescuing my phone, and I'll see you tomorrow!" _Can't wait!_

"See you tomorrow!"

And just like that, Kurt's smile was back in place. Bad day? Maybe. But it ended on the right note.

**K&B**

The next day, he called Rachel, explained about his phone and asked if he could take Sarah and Toby to Westerville to see Blaine again. As he expected, Rachel wanted to come along, and in the car, while belting out show tunes, she kept throwing sly glances at him when she noticed him tapping his fingers on the dashboard or showing other signs of nerves. He hoped she'd behave herself. The last thing he needed was another matchmaker.

They arrived just after 2 PM, Toby having needed a potty break twice on the ride to Westerville. Kurt could hear Blaine strumming the melody of Mr Tambourine Man, but nobody had actually started singing yet, so they couldn't have missed much. Blaine looked up when they came in and smiled right at Kurt, positively beaming when he heard Kurt sing along.

After five songs, Blaine praised all the children present for having sung so beautifully, and asked them whether they'd like to hear a story now. Sarah and Toby wriggled with glee and shouted "Yes" at the top of their voices. Blaine's tale was heart-warming and funny, and Kurt sighed with satisfaction when it was over and clapped hard.

"Okay, let's go see Blaine!" he said to the others, and together they approached Blaine. Next to him, Kurt saw the blond colleague who helped Blaine out yesterday and a shorter, brown-haired man who was teasing two girls about Sarah's age who looked a lot like him - his daughters?

"Hey," said Kurt. "That was lovely. The crowd ate it up."

Blaine blushed and ducked his head. "Thank you."

Kurt introduced his family to Blaine. "This is my sister-in-law, Rachel. Sarah you already know, and this young man is called Toby. He wasn't feeling too well yesterday, but today, he's on top of the world, aren't you, Tobes?"

Toby got a shy attack and hid between Rachel's legs.

Rachel shook Blaine's hand and smiled at him. "So you're the famous Blaine … Tina's told me about you. And Sarah's quite smitten with you, too. You've managed to supplant Sebastian Smythe as her favourite author in just one afternoon. I'm impressed."

_Wait … What? Tina's told you about Blaine? When? And how much do you know about him?_

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rachel," answered Blaine. He waved to the men and the girls standing next to him. "These are my friends Nick and Jeff, also known as Niff for short, because they're inseparable, and Nick's sisters Iris and Nina. Niff and I were in the Dalton Warblers together. You were in Tina's glee club, in high school?"

"The lead singer, actually," boasted Rachel.

Kurt huffed. "The bossiest singer, actually, who always got her way and hogged all the solos."

"Hey!" protested Rachel. "That's …"

"The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," said Kurt. He saw that she looked hurt, and relented, hugging her sideways and giving her a quick kiss. "But we love you anyway, honey."

They smiled at each other. It was true. Kurt was glad to call Rachel his sister. Yes, she could be self-absorbed, loud and obnoxious, but she was a fierce, loyal friend with a talent and drive that deserved a better fate than to be buried in Lima, Ohio.

"We've always been very close, the lot of us," reminisced Rachel. "We fought a lot, but we had each other's backs. I married my duet partner from glee club, and Tina and Quinn did, too."

Kurt snorted. "You make it sound like glee club was a dating service. I still think it was madness that you and Finn got married in senior year. Quinn, I can understand, because she wanted to raise Beth with Puck, but you had no reason to get married that early."

_And if you hadn't, you might have been on Broadway today. I love my brother, but I hate him for taking that away from you._

Rachel shrugged. "It seemed the right thing to do at the time. I thought I'd manage to go to college anyway, but then I got pregnant straightaway and had Sarah, and Finn was away all the time at the police academy, so I had to drop out of college and focus on my family. I don't regret it, though. I'm so happy with Finn and my babies."

Blaine frowned, and then jumped to another topic.

"Tina's having a Halloween party on Sunday. Niff and I will be there. Are you all coming, too?" he asked.

_Well, since you're asking so nicely …_

Rachel looked at Kurt. "We haven't discussed it yet, but Finn's off duty, so we could come. Do you think Burt and Carole would mind baby-sitting?"

Kurt grinned, elated at the thought of a New Directions reunion. "Yesterday, dad complained again that he doesn't get to see his grandkids often enough these days, so you'd be doing him a kindness, really."

Sarah jumped up and down in excitement. "We get to stay at grandpa's on Sunday? Yay!"

She turned to Blaine and said: "Grandpa Burt tells good stories too, but I like yours better."

_Me too, honey._

"Thank you for the compliment," smiled Blaine.

"Mama, can I have a book signed by Blaine?" purred Sarah, cocking her head to the side and making puppy-dog eyes.

"If you promise to be good for grandpa and grandma on Sunday," Rachel hedged.

"I will, I promise!" shouted Sarah.

Blaine chuckled. "Right this way then. Kurt, come along too, I still have your phone."

Kurt was glad to have his phone back. He felt tempted to ask for Blaine's number.

_I really like him._ As much as the thought scared him, it thrilled him, too.

Blaine's fidgeting seemed to imply he had the same idea, but didn't dare to ask. Rachel saved the day by insisting Kurt and Blaine exchanged numbers, just in case the Westerville boys got lost tomorrow driving to Tina's house. No-one mentioned that they might just as well call Tina to ask for directions.

They returned home with a triumphant Sarah clutching Blaine's book, Toby napping and Kurt and Rachel discussing costume ideas for the party.

Later that evening, sorting through his wardrobe and combining items into costumes, Kurt had managed to narrow it down to three options when his phone chimed. He unlocked the screen and saw a text from Blaine.

**To: Kurt Hummel**

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow - Blaine

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Looking forward to it, too - Kurt

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Only … What on earth should I wear? - K

**To: Blaine Anderson**

One day is short notice :-( - K

**To: Kurt Hummel**

Make it work! (Sorry, watching Project Runway reruns) - B

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Of course I will! But … I can't make up my mind - K

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Three options: creepy, sexy or mysterious - K

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Which do I pick? - K

**To: Kurt Hummel**

Can't you combine all three? No pressure :-P - B


	12. Chapter 12: I Like You

Chapter Twelve: I Like You

"_Gilbert suddenly laid his hand over the slender white one lying on the rail of the bridge. His hazel eyes deepened into darkness, his still boyish lips opened to say something of the dream and hope that thrilled his soul_." (Lucy Maud Montgomery, _Anne of the Island_)

The following afternoon, Kurt went to Finn and Rachel's to get ready for the Halloween party together. Finn would be going as Jack Pumpkinhead, so he had been making a papier mâché pumpkin head with Sarah's help and Toby's hindrance. Kurt lent him purple pants, a pink shirt and a red vest, and that was Finn's costume sorted out.

Rachel was going as Dorothy, and had already slipped into the dress and the ruby slippers. Kurt helped her plait her hair and supervised her make-up, then helped Sarah into the junior version of the costume and plaited her hair, too. Toby wanted to be a robot, so Finn and Kurt got creative with cardboard boxes, bottles and wire until all three of them approved of the end result.

Then it was Kurt's turn. He was channelling a mafia boss in a perfectly tailored three-piece suit with a matching hat and sunglasses. He glued on a thin moustache à la Don Vito Corleone, darkened his skin tone and accentuated his cheekbones. He'd bought a box of milk chocolate cigars, and Toby lent him a toy gun in a holster. Perfect!

They dropped off Sarah and Toby at their grandparents', holding straw baskets and jabbering excitedly about trick-or-treating and staying up late watching scary movies. Carole and Burt seemed just as thrilled to have their grandchildren over on Halloween, and Kurt noticed a sizable stack of candy on the side table in the hallway, ready to be handed out to trick-or-treaters or devoured by Sarah and Toby, he supposed.

Rachel, Finn and Kurt rode on to Tina and Mike's place. The house was beautifully decorated on the outside, with lots of carved pumpkins holding a candle. The flickering orange and yellow light felt very welcoming, in spite of the pumpkins' monster faces.

They were the first guests to arrive, so they helped set up the drinks and the snacks and Kurt and Rachel helped Tina into the corset of her vampire attire. The costume had a high black collar, and the deep red dress under the corset was tempered with black lace and oversized black lace sleeves. Tina's hair was curled and piled high on her head. She looked stunning.

Mike was channelling The Mask, with a green face, a garish yellow suit and manic movements that Kurt quite frankly found disturbing.

In twos and threes, the other guests started arriving. Mercedes and Sam came as Angelique and Barnabas from Dark Shadows. They had come all the way from LA, where Mercedes was recording her second album and Sam worked as a model. Mercedes squealed when she saw Kurt, and they spent the next hour catching up, oblivious to their surroundings.

When they resurfaced, breathless with laughter and a bit thirsty after having talked for so long, the party was in full swing. Artie was wearing a red-and-white striped Waldo outfit and had inspired a game of hide-and-seek. Santana, in a red devil cat suit, flanked by Kitty and Brittany in black devil cat suits and Puck as Hellboy, were recruiting party-goers for a game of Truth and Dare.

Mike, Niff (both as pirates) and Jake (dressed as a gladiator) were playing Just Dance on the Xbox, and among the spectators egging them on, there was a dashing barber with a white streak in his hair whose sweet caramel eyes seemed too kind to belong to a killer.

Kurt sidled up to him and said "Hi Sweeney Todd".

Blaine jumped slightly, spilling some of the drink he was holding and looking at him with wide eyes.

Kurt towed Blaine towards the love seat he'd sat on with Mercedes just now and started dabbing at the wet fabric of Blaine's costume with his handkerchief.

"Sorry", he apologised. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Blaine's cheeks went pink again. "Hey Kurt. Sorry, I'm easily spooked, I'm afraid. A consequence of what's happened to me in the past."

Kurt raised his eyebrows. "Bullying?"

"An attack," said Blaine. "I went to a public school in Westerville, and they had this Sadie Hawkins dance. I'd just come out, and I'd asked the only other boy at school who was out to go the dance together. Just as friends, you know. And after the dance, we were waiting for his dad to pick us up, when we were attacked from behind. They used baseball bats. It's a wonder we both survived."

"Wow," said Kurt. "And I thought I had it bad in high school."

Blaine gently took Kurt's right hand between both of his. "Hey, don't be sad. It's so long ago. After that incident, I transferred to Dalton, and I loved it there. I reconnected with many friends I used to have as kids, who had gone straight to Dalton for high school instead of trying a public school first, like me."

Kurt had frozen for a moment when Blaine took his hand. Usually, people gave Kurt a wide berth. The New Directions girls had accepted him as one of their own, and especially Rachel and Mercedes, his besties, would cuddle with him and hug him and kiss him on the cheek and even have sleep-overs with him where they all shared a bed. Finn, his step-brother, was close enough with Kurt now to feel comfortable hugging him from time to time, and the male New Directioners, even the ones who used to bully him, felt at ease with him as well, patting him on the back and fist-bumping him. But apart from them and his dad, no other man or boy had ever initiated physical contact with him, other than polite handshakes.

So this was new, and more than a little thrilling. He felt warmth spreading through his body, felt his hand tingling under the contact and felt his mouth split into a smile so wide it hurt his cheeks.

Blaine was silent, staring at the floor. Was he reliving the memories of the attack? Kurt softly squeezed the hand under his in sympathy. _Look at me, Blaine_, he thought, _please, look at me_.

And then Blaine did look up, slowly, tentatively, his eyes peeking from under his beautiful long lashes timidly as though he were fearing rejection. Kurt squeezed his hand again and couldn't help beaming at him, and that caused a breath-taking smile to unfurl across Blaine's face.

"I like you," Blaine stated, and then clapped his hand over his mouth as if he hadn't planned on saying that out loud.

Kurt giggled, giddy with happiness, and then hastened to say: "I like you too."


	13. Chapter 13: I Like You Too

Chapter Thirteen: I Like You Too

"_Like the touch of his hand in the tea rooms, it made her heart begin to pound with a happiness so heady, so immediate and so violent that she could not have spoken a word. She raised her eyes to his face, however, and what she read in his was almost too wonderful for her to believe._" (Jane Austen and "another lady", _Sanditon_)

Blaine watched Nick and Jeff mock fighting with their swords, speaking pirate talk, chasing one another, jumping onto the furniture and stealing kisses in between swipes. He was torn between doubling up with laughter and seeing green with envy. He wanted this, too. He had loving parents, an exasperating but caring brother, the job of his dreams and fantastic friends and colleagues, but he craved more.

He wanted someone to share his life with, someone to come home to, someone to cherish and look after, someone to go to sleep with and to wake up to in the morning. He wanted the easy companionship and the complementarity he saw whenever he looked at his best friends. When would it finally be his turn?

He sighed and turned back to the mirror to adjust his scarf and his wig, then critically examined the outfit from head to toe. The vest and pants hugged his body perfectly, and the make-up and wild hair made him look just creepy enough.

"Let's go party!" he sang, pepping himself up.

"Aye, aye, captain!" saluted Nick, and off they went.

When they arrived at Tina's place, most of the invitees had already arrived. Blaine swallowed convulsively at the thought of braving the masses. The only ones he would know there were Niff, Tina, Mike, Rachel and Kurt. _Man up, Anderson, you can do this_, he said to himself.

They found Tina and chatted with her for a while, complimenting her on her fabulous costume, and then they looked for Mike. He was playing Just Dance, and invited them to join in. Nick and Jeff accepted the invitation with alacrity, Blaine chose to sit this one out and cheer his friends on.

He looked around the room, trying to spot Kurt, and at last, he recognised him, in a snugly fitting striped dark grey suit with a red tie and a white hat. His skin looked darker than usual, he was wearing a moustache and sunglasses hid his eyes. He was talking to a girl in a glittery red dress and a blonde wig. His face was animated and joyful, his hands gesticulating wildly and he was laughing with abandon. It made Blaine's breath catch in his throat, and made him wish that he were the one to make Kurt laugh like that.

The dancers were on their fourth song when Kurt and the girl got up from the loveseat they were sitting on to go fetch something to drink and to mingle with the other guests. Blaine quickly refocused on the dancing, not wanting to be caught staring, and laughed at Jeff's antics, who had given up on trying to one-up Mike and was now goofing off to distract the other players.

Suddenly, there was a low voice in his ear. "Hi Sweeney Todd."

Though rationally, he knew that no-one here at this party would harm him, the voice and what it reminded him of scared him out of his wits. He gave a start, slopping his drink onto his scarf and vest and whirling around towards the sound wide-eyed and fearful.

It was Kurt. _Oh great, he comes up to talk with you and instead of reacting like a normal person, you almost wet your pants, you moron_, Blaine berated himself.

Kurt immediately took him by the arm and tugged him towards the loveseat, where he attacked Blaine's scarf and vest with his handkerchief. Blaine wasn't so concerned about his costume. The drink he'd spilled was a clear liquid, so it probably wouldn't leave any stains. He was more concerned about what Kurt would think of his reaction.

"Sorry", Kurt apologised. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Blaine felt the blood rush to his cheeks, mortified. "Hey Kurt. Sorry, I'm easily spooked, I'm afraid. A consequence of what's happened to me in the past."

Kurt raised his eyebrows. "Bullying?"

"An attack," said Blaine. "I went to a public school in Westerville, and they had this Sadie Hawkins dance. I'd just come out, and I'd asked the only other boy at school who was out to go the dance together. Just as friends, you know. And after the dance, we were waiting for his dad to pick us up, when we were attacked from behind. They used baseball bats. It's a wonder we both survived."

He shuddered slightly. That was a story he hated to tell. _Focus on happy thoughts_.

"Wow," said Kurt, overwhelmed. "And I thought I had it bad in high school."

Without thinking about it, Blaine took Kurt's right hand between both of his in reassurance. "Hey, don't be sad. It's so long ago. After that incident, I transferred to Dalton, and I loved it there. I reconnected with many friends I used to have as kids, who had gone straight to Dalton for high school instead of trying a public school first, like me."

And he meant it. That part of his life was over. Dalton had pieced him back together, and he never looked back.

Kurt started slightly when Blaine took his hand, and immediately, he second-guessed his spontaneous gesture. He had invaded Kurt's personal space. Kurt probably wanted Blaine to let go of his hand. Why had he taken it in the first place? Yes, he did that to Nick and Jeff and Tina and everyone he was comfortable with all the time, but he didn't know Kurt all that well yet, and he seemed like a very private person. _Bad move, Anderson!_

His panicking was cut short by a soft squeeze of his left hand. What did Kurt mean by that?

Blaine slowly raised his head and searched Kurt's eyes for anger, disgust or rejection, but he found none. They were filled with wonder and delight. Kurt squeezed his hand again and beamed at him, his face glowing as if lit from within and his eyes a mesmerising swirl of blues and greens. Wow, he was stunning.

That was probably why Blaine's brain short-circuited and made him blurt out "I like you", for all the world as if he were a toddler.

Kurt giggled at that, a clear musical sound like silver bells, his eyes crinkling and luminous with joy, and reciprocated: "I like you too."

They looked at each other shyly, grinning like goons, Blaine's heart beating so fast and loudly it seemed ready to jump straight out of his chest.

"Sorry," Blaine mumbled, "I'm not very good at romance, I'm afraid. I've never had a boyfriend. This is all very new for me."

Kurt seemed surprised. "You've never had a boyfriend? Seriously?"

Blaine chuckled self-consciously. "No. It's kind of a long story."

That made Kurt smile excitedly. "I've got time. And I like your stories."

Blaine felt his cheeks heating up again. "Alright then … Where do I start?"

"I guess the story starts in elementary school. When I was eight, I joined a soccer team and I made friends with some of my teammates. You've met two of them, Nick and Jeff, and this story is about them. Nick's father and both of Jeff's parents are diplomats. That means they never stay in one place long. Nick has lived in Germany, in Tokyo, in Moscow and in Ivory Coast. Jeff has lived in France, in Switzerland, in Turkey and in Bolivia. But from the age of six until the age of eleven, they both lived here in Westerville, with their grandparents, so as to provide some stability in their lives."

"We all became the best of friends, the three of us, plus Wes and Thad, whom you haven't met yet. But Nick and Jeff were thick as thieves. They lived in the same street; they were always playing together, having sleep-overs, spending basically every minute of every day together."

"But then, a few days after my eleventh birthday, Nick left. He went abroad to live with his parents, and that's the last we saw of him for several years. We were all sad, but Jeff was devastated. I remember him telling me that Nick leaving was all his fault, but when I asked him what had happened, he clammed up. And a few months later, he left with his parents as well."

"Next, I went to high school, came out as gay, and was beaten up rather badly at a school dance, as I told you, so I transferred to Dalton, a private school with a zero-tolerance policy against bullying, and I reconnected with Wes and Thad and joined the Warblers. And I was happy."

"The next school year, I came to school the first day and found that Jeff's parents had divorced, and Jeff was back in Westerville and was enrolled at Dalton as well. He was my roommate. I was thrilled, and he seemed really happy to be back as well. We were the best of friends, and we hung out together all the time. So … I … I gradually fell in love with him. And then, at the Warblers' Christmas party, I kissed him. Just a quick peck, on his mouth, but he really freaked out and ran off."

"And then he told me what had happened with Nick. How Nick's grandfather had walked in on them kissing, one day, and had immediately thrown Jeff out of the house with the warning never to come back, and had shipped Nick off to his parents because he didn't want a gay grandson."

"Jeff hadn't seen or heard of Nick since, but he was still very much in love with him, so I didn't stand a chance. But it was no use telling that to my heart, because it had a will of its own and stubbornly kept loving Jeff."

"And then Jeff and I went to teacher's college, and on the day we were moving into the dorms, we literally bumped into Nick. Jeff begged me to take over Nick's single room and let him room with Nick, so I did. But we still spent loads of time together and as much as I knew that Niff were together and would probably always be together, I spent my college time always crushing on either the one or the other. It's pathetic, I know."

"And now I've been a teacher for a few years, and most of my colleagues are women, and when I go out, it's either with them or with Niff. I don't know. Maybe I'm just scared of meeting someone new and opening up to him. Or maybe I'm just waiting for the right person to come along."


	14. Chapter 14: Raise Your Glass

Chapter Fourteen: Raise Your Glass

"_But the weirdest part of all was that while it had been happening—once I'd gotten used to the idea, I mean, of this hot guy hanging out with me—it hadn't actually seemed that weird at all. It was like that smile Will had given me that day in the park, the one I hadn't been able to keep from returning. It had just seemed natural, even right, to smile back, just like it had seemed totally natural—natural and, yes, right—to have Will there, joking around with the silverware as we set the table, laughing at my Graul's  
>bag boy imitation<em>." (Meg Cabot, _Avalon High_)

Blaine looked down at their joined hands again. He'd unconsciously been playing with Kurt's fingers while telling the story. Now he stilled his hands and waited for a reaction, any reaction, from Kurt.

"Blaine?" Kurt's high, melodious voice called his attention again. "You're not pathetic. Wait until I tell you about my embarrassing crushes …"

Kurt told him what had happened with his first crush, Sebastian. He told it very plainly, yet Blaine could see how deeply it had hurt him, and it made him stiffen up and ball his hands into fists. If he disliked Sebastian Smythe before, that was nothing to the absolute fury he now felt towards him.

Then a thought occurred to him. "So … You were a child actor? Does that mean it actually WAS you who played Argyle?"

Kurt nodded. "Nobody knows, though. I tend to avoid the limelight since I left "A Tree Called Life". I used a pseudonym and the character looked and behaved like he was on the wrong side of seventy. Basically, the only part of me that was recognisable was my eyes, and I'm stunned that you connected Argyle with me. Not even my father recognised me, and he's seen the film about a zillion times."

Blaine coloured up and bit his lip. "I've seen it many times as well. I … I love Mark Easterbrook's novels, especially "Breathless". And the film adaptation is sublime."

"Though it scares you witless," Kurt chuckled.

"Though it scares me witless," Blaine confirmed.

They were silent for a moment, and then Kurt sighed.

"Well, I should get on with it, shouldn't I? My embarrassing crushes?"

Blaine squeezed his hand and said softly: "You don't have to tell me if it makes you feel uncomfortable."

Kurt shook his head, sincerity blazing in his eyes. "It's strange, but I actually feel very much at ease with you. And I want to share this with you."

Blaine smiled and said: "Thank you. I'm glad you do."

Kurt seemed to debate where to start his story, biting his lip.

"So then I went back to Lima, to live with my dad. I had visited him often, of course, with my aunt and uncle, but I had to get used to him all over again. And it came as a shock to me that he had a girlfriend. Her name was Carole Hudson. She was a single parent as well, and her son Finn was about my age."

"At school, Finn was very popular. He was the quarterback of the football team, he was dating the head cheerleader, and he was kind of a jerk. When I started going to William McKinley High, he and the other jocks would throw me into dumpsters, bump into me on purpose, slushy me, and generally make my life miserable."

"But then our parents decided it was time all four of us got to know one another better, and the Hudsons started coming over for dinner on Fridays. And that was … Let's say it was an eye-opener for Finn. He slowly went from being homophobic to accepting me and actually looking out for me. He didn't bully me anymore, and he stopped others from bullying me."

"And, well … Call it Stockholm syndrome or just plain foolishness, but the more I got to know Finn, the more I crushed on him. I knew he was straight, but he was the only boy in the whole school who was nice to me, and I just couldn't help myself."

"It was also thanks to Finn that I made friends at William McKinley High. He was in the glee club and got me to join, too. I was afraid for the backlash at first, scared of being bullied even harder when people found out I joined glee club, but it actually got better instead of worse. When I got slushied, there was always a gleek around to help me wash the slush out of my eyes and hair."

"And the music helped a lot, too. We dealt with our emotions through singing, and we got very close sharing all that with each other. The New Directions are like a family. Granted, a dysfunctional family with lots of quarrels and misunderstandings, but a family nonetheless. They all have my back and I have theirs."

"Anyway, by the time my dad married Carole and the Hudsons moved in with us, my crush had luckily petered out. I grew to love him like a brother, and we're close, but I really don't understand how I ever managed to crush on him. He's such a typical straight guy, strewing his dirty socks everywhere, eating like a pig and leaving hair in the shower drain."

Kurt daintily scrunched his nose up in disgust.

Blaine chuckled, then said: "I take it that's Rachel's husband then?"

Kurt nodded. "At first, Finn was dating the head cheerleader, Quinn, but she got pregnant and the father turned out to be Puck, not Finn. So Quinn and Puck got together and Finn started dating Rachel. He proposed to her in our senior year, and they got married right after regionals and had Sarah ten months later."

"Rachel was planning to come to New York with me, and to study at NYADA while I went to Parsons. She actually got into NYADA, but when she found out she was pregnant, she decided to stay in Lima and to take classes at the Columbus State Community College. She had to drop out of those classes as well when the pregnancy took its toll on her body and gave her severe back and pelvic pain."

"So she became a stay-at-home mom. A few years ago though, she decided to start a business, and now she's quite well-known as a planner of children's birthday parties and a baker of specialty cakes."

Kurt sounded sad at that conclusion, and Blaine could see why. "She must be really talented, to have gotten into NYADA. That school is very exclusive."

"She is incredibly talented," stressed Kurt. "She should on Broadway right now."

Rachel seemed to have heard that from across the room, because the next second, she was shouting: "Karaoke! Let's sing!"

And sing they did. Blaine listened and watched with wide eyes. He already knew that Rachel had a powerful voice, but there were two other girls, the black one Kurt had been talking to and a filthy-mouthed Latina, who could definitely give Rachel a run for her money. They duetted on "I alone" and they really killed it.

They were followed by a tough-looking guy dressed like Hellboy, who surprisingly sang a sweet love song, "I'm Your Man".

"That's Puck," clarified Kurt. "I take it he and Quinn are fighting again and he's trying to get back into her good books."

Puck's performance was followed by Rachel singing "Let it go".

After her song, she flashed a mischievous smile and announced: "I hear that a few Warblers have infiltrated this New Directions reunion."

The crowd booed playfully.

"Hey now, be nice. Shall we ask them to come up here and sing for us?"

That got a resounding "YES".

"Alright then, Blaine and Jeff, would you come up here please?"

Blaine looked at Jeff, who seemed as stunned as he felt, but they obediently joined Rachel.

"What will we sing?" he murmured to Jeff. "Raise Your Glass? That seems kind of appropriate?"

So that's what they sang, and they got a nice applause for it.

Afterwards, Blaine stayed with Nick and Jeff for a bit, and then searched for Kurt again, but he was nowhere to be found. When Blaine asked Rachel, she said he'd gone home.

He felt a pang of disappointment that Kurt hadn't said goodbye to him before he left, but he guessed he couldn't complain. He'd talked to Kurt for hours and had pretty much monopolised him, so he couldn't grudge Kurt's friends their time with him.

He looked at his watch and saw it was almost three in the morning. The good thing about having spilled his drink and then talked all night was that he wasn't drunk, so he could drive back to Westerville and sleep in his own bed instead of crashing at Tina's. He fetched Niff and they said goodbye to Tina and Mike and drove home.

Before he got into bed, he texted Kurt.

**To: Kurt Hummel**

I really enjoyed talking to you tonight - Blaine

**To: Kurt Hummel**

And your costume ticked all the boxes. You looked gorgeous. - B

**To: Kurt Hummel**

I'm sorry I missed you leaving. I hope we can meet up again sometime. - B

**To: Kurt Hummel**

Sweet dreams x - B

These are the songs mentioned in this chapter:

"I alone", a duet by Anouk and Sarah Bettens

"I'm Your Man", by Leonard Cohen

"Let It Go", by Idina Menzel (from the Disney film "Frozen")

"Raise Your Glass", by Pink


	15. Chapter 15: Truth Time

Author's note: I've received a couple of anonymous reviews lately, with the request to write some one-shots in this verse. I assure you I will think about it, but I'd like to focus on this story first. I'm averaging three chapters a week, and I really don't have the time to write anything else. But I'll keep your request in mind for after this story is finished, okay? And thank you very much for the interest you've shown in "Weave Your Magic". I usually answer every review I receive by addressing a personal message to the reviewer, but I can't do that if you review anonymously, I'm sorry.

Chapter 15: Truth Time

"_O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;_

_It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock_

_The meat it feeds on._" (William Shakespeare, _Othello_)

Kurt gaped at Blaine. "You've never had a boyfriend? Seriously?"

Blaine chuckled self-consciously. "No. It's kind of a long story."

Kurt perked up. "I've got time. And I like your stories."

And there was that lovely blush again, right up to the tips of Blaine's ears.

Blaine told Kurt about his unrequited crushes on Jeff and Nick. He seemed rather ashamed about it, though Kurt saw no need for that. So he'd fallen in love with people who weren't available? Been there, done that, but worse. At least Blaine's crushes were both gay.

So Kurt decided to share some of his stories, starting with his crush on Sebastian and how horribly that had ended. Blaine listened carefully, his expressive eyes glowing with sadness, compassion and, towards the end of Kurt's tale, downright fury.

Then Blaine frowned and cocked his head to the side. "So … You were a child actor? Does that mean it actually WAS you who played Argyle?"

_I'd hoped you'd forgotten about that by now, but no such luck, apparently … Ah well, time to come clean …_

Kurt nodded. "Nobody knows, though. I tend to avoid the limelight since I left "A Tree Called Life". I used a pseudonym and the character looked and behaved like he was on the wrong side of seventy. Basically, the only part of me that was recognisable was my eyes, and I'm stunned that you connected Argyle with me. Not even my father recognised me, and he's seen the film about a zillion times."

Blaine's cheeks pinked up again and he bit his lip. "I've seen it many times as well. I … I love Mark Easterbrook's novels, especially "Breathless". And the film adaptation is sublime."

_Glad you approve_ … _Not going to reveal I'm Mark Easterbrook yet, though. I'd like us to get to know each other first._

"Though it scares you witless," Kurt chuckled.

"Though it scares me witless," Blaine confessed, looking a bit sheepish at the admission.

Kurt decided to take pity on him and continue telling Blaine about his crushes, sighing a bit as he did so, because his crush on Finn was really embarrassing. Blaine picked up on that, and sweetly told Kurt he didn't have to share the story if he'd rather not. That further strengthened Kurt's resolve to be open and frank with Blaine. He hadn't known him for very long and didn't know all that much about him, but he trusted him. He felt at home with him, as if they'd been friends forever.

The conversation flowed naturally. Talking about Finn turned into talking about Kurt joining glee club, about Quinn and the baby drama, and then about Rachel.

And speaking of the devil, Rachel was calling for karaoke. Kurt debated volunteering to sing, but decided against it. He preferred staying with Blaine.

Mercedes and Santana were up first, and he saw Blaine's mouth fall open when he heard both powerhouses sing. Kurt smiled proudly and clapped hard when the song ended.

Then Puck got out his guitar and chose to sing a love song, which inspired a snide aside from Kurt about Puck's shaky relationship with Quinn. After Kurt had let the snarky remark slip, he quickly looked at Blaine, but he didn't seem at all disturbed. Making a mental note to try and curb his vicious tongue around Blaine, who was sweetness itself, he focused on the singing again.

Puck really threw his heart into the song, and Quinn did seem to appreciate the gesture, a soft smile on her lips and her eyes glowing. However odd their relationship seemed to Kurt, they truly loved each other, and he found himself smiling and thinking back to their sophomore year, when Beth brought the unlikely couple together.

After Puck, Rachel took to the stage. Kurt expected her to sing at least two solos and then request duet partners, but she surprised him. After only one song, she called Blaine and Jeff onstage and made them sing.

Kurt saw the both of them huddle together, deciding on what song to sing, and a fierce stab of jealousy ripped through him at their obvious closeness. He could see how well those two might have fit together if not for Nick. He could see all too easily how lovable Jeff was, how good-looking, how bubbly and energetic and how talented. And he could see the affection there, from both sides.

They performed together as one, perfectly complementing one another, their dance steps impeccably synchronised. It wasn't a love song - thank heavens for small mercies - but it shook Kurt to the core how much he longed to be the one up there with Blaine instead of Jeff.

And then the song came to an end, and Kurt applauded politely, sending Blaine telepathic vibes to please come join him again, but Blaine missed them completely, tagging along in Jeff's wake to where Nick was sitting, and plopping down on Nick's lap with his legs draped over Jeff's as soon as the two lovebirds were cuddled up together. That made Kurt's envy flare up brighter than ever.

Really, what was he doing, allowing himself to fall for Blaine, when Blaine clearly wasn't over Jeff or Nick yet? Berating himself for being such a fool, he went to say goodbye to Tina and Mike, and then sought out Rachel and Finn and told them he was tired and wanted to go home.

Finn agreed readily, yawning hugely himself. Rachel gave Kurt a searching look, but fetched her wrap and accompanied him to the car without asking questions, for which he was grateful.

He'd been in bed for several hours, tossing and turning and not sleeping a wink, when he heard his phone chime several times. Text messages? At this hour?

He grabbed his phone and saw that the messages were from Blaine.

**From: Blaine Anderson**

I really enjoyed talking to you tonight - Blaine

_He did? So maybe there's hope after all?_

**From: Blaine Anderson**

And your costume ticked all the boxes. You looked gorgeous. - B

_So did he … So gorgeous … *Sigh* Wait … Is he flirting with me?_

**From: Blaine Anderson**

I'm sorry I missed you leaving. I hope we can meet up again sometime. - B

_He wants to see me again? Maybe I read the situation wrong. He did say he liked me. You don't say that to someone you just want to be friends with. Now I feel a bit silly. Why didn't I go say goodbye to him? What was I jealous about, anyway? He told me Nick and Jeff are his best friends, so of course, they are close._

**From: Blaine Anderson**

Sweet dreams x - B

_That is definitely flirty, right? I mean, he sent me a text kiss …_

Kurt read the messages about thirty times, his tentative smile growing steadily larger.

Then he started typing a response.

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Shouldn't you be asleep by now? You'll be dead on your feet tomorrow … - Kurt

**To: Kurt Hummel**

I know. It's no use going to sleep now; I have to get up in less than two hours - Blaine

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Ouch … How will you be able to teach when you haven't slept at all? - K

**To: Blaine Anderson**

I had a really good time, too, by the way - K

**To: Blaine Anderson**

It was nice getting to know you better - K

**To: Kurt Hummel**

It was :-) - B

**To: Kurt Hummel**

And don't worry about school. This morning, my class has their drawing lesson - B

**To: Kurt Hummel**

And then Tina and I will take our classes for a nature walk this afternoon - B

**To: Kurt Hummel**

It was scheduled for last week, but then it kept raining - B

**To: Blaine Anderson**

A nature walk? That sounds nice - K

**To: Kurt Hummel**

Care to join us? - B

**To: Kurt Hummel**

We'll be collecting leaves and horse chestnuts for handicraft lessons - B

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Would it be okay if I joined you? - K

**To: Blaine Anderson**

You wouldn't get in trouble with the principal? - K

**To: Kurt Hummel**

Not at all! The more adult chaperones, the better - B

**To: Kurt Hummel**

We're set to leave at 1 PM - B

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Okay, I'll be there, if I can find my rubber boots - K

**To: Kurt Hummel**

Yay! See you later! - B

**To: Kurt Hummel**

I'll let you get some sleep now. Sorry I woke you up. Nighty-night! - B

**To: Blaine Anderson**

I couldn't sleep, so no harm done. See you this afternoon! - K

Kurt set his alarm for 10 AM, put his phone on the night stand and fell asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow.


	16. Chapter 16: Would you?

Chapter 16: Would you?

_You are the poem I never knew how to write and this life is the story I have always wanted to tell. _(Tyler Khott Gregson)

Kurt felt a bit groggy when his alarm woke him, but when he remembered what he set it for, his brain jump-started, his mouth curved into a smile and he got out of bed quickly.

Deciding he needed more than just his usual light breakfast if he was going for a nature walk that afternoon, he made himself an egg white omelette with spinach and smoked salmon.

Then he looked for his green plaid Ralph Lauren Rossalyn rain boots and combined them with tight chocolate-brown jeans, a white shirt and a dark green vest, his black winter coat and a scarf that matched his boots.

He took two travel mugs with him and stopped by the Lima Bean for coffee and blueberry muffins - Blaine was going to need a caffeine kick so badly.

He arrived at Hawthorne Elementary School at a quarter to one. When he walked onto the school grounds, he saw Blaine playing with some of the children, showing them soccer moves and even showing off dancing with the soccer ball, balancing it on his head, his shoulders and his knees with an ease and fluidity that made it look effortless. He seemed entirely too energetic for someone who hadn't slept a wink.

Kurt stood back and enjoyed the show, not in the least distracted by the children shouting, running, fighting and falling around him. He only reluctantly took his eyes off Blaine's incredible physique and mesmerising movements when Tina noticed his presence and made a beeline for him.

"Kurt! What brings you here?"

Kurt gave her a hug and a cheek kiss, then answered: "Blaine recruited me as a chaperone for your nature walk. Hence the fabulous boots."

Tina looked at the boots and hummed appreciatively. "They're lovely. Does that mean that you and Blaine are an item now?"

Kurt bit his lip and felt the blood rush to his cheeks. "Um … We're … We're not … quite … there yet, Tina, okay?"

"But you like him?" she pressed.

His head probably resembled a tomato by now, but Kurt managed to nod. "I like him. Very much."

"Aww," she squealed. "I just knew it! I knew that as soon as you guys would meet, you'd hit it off spectacularly! I'm so glad for you both."

Kurt's cheeks still felt uncomfortably warm, but he chuckled and said: "Thank you."

"I saw you two talking at my party yesterday. You seemed pretty cosy," remarked Tina.

Kurt nodded. "He's easy to talk to, and very sweet."

"That he is," sighed Tina. "Mike and I were in a bad place when Blaine started here at Hawthorne as a teacher, and somehow I developed the hugest crush on Blaine, but instead of filing a restraining order against me, he let me down so gently and became one of my best friends, actively helping me fix things with Mike. I'm so grateful to him for that."

Kurt was astonished. Tina and Mike always seemed such a perfect couple, and he couldn't imagine them not getting along.

Tina saw his stunned look of disbelief, and sighed. "That was when we'd just moved in together, and Mike's mother would always come and check on us. Every day. Bringing food, as though I couldn't cook. Offering to do our laundry, as if I couldn't manage. And so on and so forth. She meant well, I know she did, but it was very trying. It felt as if she didn't trust me to take care of her son. And I felt so smothered by her constant attention. So I took it out on Mike, and told him to ask his mother to back off, but he didn't dare. And we fought about that a lot. And then right at the same time, there was this new guy at school who was so gorgeous and attentive … So I kind of lost my head and crushed on him. Look, I'm not proud of it. Not at all. I'm just saying that Blaine is a sweetheart and that he would be absolutely perfect for you."

A cheery voice behind them piped up. "Playing matchmaker again, are you, Tina?"

Kurt turned around and saw two women wearing rain coats and rubber boots. The tallest one had long brown hair in a ponytail and mossy green eyes. The other woman had short blonde hair and was sporting a mischievous grin.

"Hey Chelsey, hey Rose," said Tina. "This is Kurt. Kurt, this is Chelsey Miller, who teaches the second grade. Rose Harlow is our special needs teacher. We share her with two other schools. She's only at Hawthorne on Mondays and Fridays."

Kurt shook hands with Chelsey and Rose and murmured a polite "Pleased to meet you".

The bell rang, signalling the end of the lunch break. The fourth and fifth grade found their teachers and filed indoors, to their classrooms. The first through third grade clustered around Tina, Rose and Chelsey.

"Where's Blaine?" asked Tina. "It's time to go!"

One of the children tugged at her sleeve and whispered: "Mr. A wanted to put another shirt on. It had gotten a bit dirty."

Tina stroked the child's hair. "Thank you, Lily."

Then she turned to the entire group and said: "Okay, split up in pairs and queue up, holding hands. And don't let go of each other's hand until we're back at school, you understand. No scampering away on your own. We stay together, so that nobody gets lost."

"Yes, Ms CeeCee," chorused the children, and two by two they formed a long line, hands swinging between them.

Blaine hurriedly joined them, muttering an apology for keeping everyone waiting and smiling sunnily at Kurt.

"Okay, children, off we go," said Tina. "I'll walk in front of you, Ms Harlow and Ms Miller will walk in the middle, and Mr A and his friend will bring up the rear."

They all filed out of the school and walked towards the woods.

The children in the rear looked at Kurt curiously. "Who's your friend, Mr. A?" asked one of them.

Blaine put his arm around Kurt's waist and said: "This is Mr. Kurt Hummel. I met him this weekend at the book fair."

"Is he a writer, too?" persisted the same boy.

Blaine looked at Kurt. "I don't actually know what Mr. H does for a living, Robby. What is it you do, Kurt?"

"I'm a designer," said Kurt. "I make clothes for men, and accessories like ties and bowties and scarves and belts and occasionally hats."

"Why only for men?" inquired Robby.

"I'm more used to it," explained Kurt. "I've always made clothes for myself. I do sew dresses sometimes, but I mostly stick to men's wear, because I find that easier."

"Are you Mr. A's boyfriend?" asked Robby.

That was the cue for Kurt's cheeks to heat up again. "Um, no." He chanced a quick glance at Blaine, who looked crestfallen and let go of his waist, and quickly added: "Not yet, at any rate."

He felt Blaine grab his right hand and entwine their fingers.

"But you would like to be?" continued Robby.

Kurt blushed fiercely and admitted: "Yes. Yes, I would."

"Mr. A, you should ask him," advised Robby.

Blaine chuckled. "Kurt?"

"Yes?" It sounded incredibly high-pitched. _Keep it together, Hummel_.

"Would you please be my boyfriend?"

Kurt looked at Blaine and smiled shyly. "I'd love to."


	17. Chapter 17: I Would

Chapter 17: I Would

"_It was weird. It was like he smiled at me, and my lips automatically smiled back—my brain had nothing to do with it. There was no conscious decision on my part to smile back._

_I just did. Like it was a habit, or something. Like this was a smile I always smiled back to._" (Meg Cabot, _Avalon High_)

Blaine rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes tiredly. It was nearly twelve o'clock, and his class had just exited to go to lunch. It was Blaine's turn to supervise the playground, so he quickly gobbled down a sandwich with ham and cheese and one with peanut butter and jelly, washed it down with some water and made his way to the playground.

About an hour later, the bell rang. Blaine, panting and sweating profusely, high-fived the fifth-graders he'd been playing soccer with and turned to Tina with the thought of asking her to look after his third-graders for five more minutes while he freshened up.

His stomach plummeted when he saw not only Chelsey and Rose, but also Kurt with her. He immediately panicked. The nature walk! He'd totally forgotten about that! He'd invited Kurt! And Kurt had shown up, impeccably dressed and coiffed, and there Blaine was, sweaty and disgusting and his hair probably totally out of control.

He turned to Lily, one of Tina's first-graders: "Lily, sweetie, could you tell Ms CeeCee I'll be right there, please? I need to put another shirt on, this one's a bit dirty now."

Lily nodded obediently and trotted off to Tina to deliver the message.

He ran to his classroom, dried himself off with a towel, spritzed some deodorant on, rummaged in his bag for his spare shirt and put it on quickly. He patted his hair, feeling wayward curls escaping, and sighed in defeat. Nothing to be done about that, unfortunately.

Blaine sprinted back to the playground, full of apologies for keeping everyone waiting. When he saw Kurt grinning at him, his mouth instantly curved into a wide smile. Kurt looked amazing. He managed to turn even rain boots into a fashion statement. The boots had a plaid pattern and a glossy finish, and matched his scarf. He seemed to have stepped straight out of Vogue magazine.

"Okay, children, off we go," said Tina. "I'll walk in front of you, Ms Harlow and Ms Miller will walk in the middle, and Mr A and his friend will bring up the rear."

_That's good. Fewer curious eyes._

Blaine's class hung back to stay in the rear with him, and they all filed out of the school and walked towards the woods.

Blaine could see his third-graders sneaking peeks at Kurt, clearly burning with curiosity. After a short while, Robby couldn't keep it in any longer and he asked: "Who's your friend, Mr. A?"

Blaine let his arm slide around Kurt's waist and answered: "This is Mr. Kurt Hummel. I met him this weekend at the book fair."

"Is he a writer, too?" continued Robby.

_Oh joy, we're in for a full inquiry. I just hope none of Robby's questions will be embarrassing. This one, I don't mind, because I'd like to know the answer myself._

Blaine looked at Kurt. "I don't actually know what Mr. H does for a living, Robby. What is it you do, Kurt?"

"I'm a designer," said Kurt. "I make clothes for men, and accessories like ties and bowties and scarves and belts and occasionally hats."

_Oh, no wonder he's always so stylishly dressed. Now I feel even worse about this rumpled emergency shirt and my wild hair._

"Why only for men?" was Robby's follow-up question.

"I'm more used to it," explained Kurt. "I've always made clothes for myself. I do sew dresses sometimes, but I mostly stick to men's wear, because I find that easier."

_I wonder what the name of his label is. Maybe I even own clothes or accessories made by him._

"Are you Mr. A's boyfriend?" asked Robby.

_Uh-oh, what's Kurt going to say now? Should I tell Robby to leave Kurt alone?_

Kurt's cheeks went pink and he looked decidedly uncomfortable. "Um, no."

That hit Blaine like a ton of bricks. _No? He doesn't want to be with me?_

He dropped his arm and gave Kurt his space.

Kurt looked at him them, and with a cheeky half-smile he added: "Not yet, at any rate."

Blaine's heart soared and he smiled hugely. _That's better!_

He grabbed Kurt's hand and entwined their fingers.

"But you would like to be?" pressed Robby.

Kurt's blush deepened, and Blaine held his breath. _Please say yes. Please say yes._

Then Kurt answered: "Yes. Yes, I would."

And Blaine felt like doing somersaults, punching the air with both fists and dancing a victory jig. But Robby wasn't done talking.

"Mr. A, you should ask him," he advised.

_Okay, I don't think I'll ever get a better opening than that. Thank you, Robby, I owe you for this one._

Blaine chuckled. "Kurt?"

"Yes?" squeaked Kurt.

He pulled Kurt to a halt and took Kurt's hand in both of his.

"Would you please be my boyfriend?" he continued. _Please say yes. Please say yes._

Kurt was still blushing slightly, but a slow smile broke across his face, lighting up his eyes. "I'd love to."

_Yes, yes, yes! I really want to kiss you now. Shall I?_

Blaine moved a little closer, losing himself in Kurt's stormy sea eyes.

"Mr. A, we have to keep walking," admonished Deirdre. "Look, we need to catch up with the others."

Blaine couldn't care less about staying with the others at the moment, but winked at Kurt, telegraphing "_Later_!" with his eyes. They both laughed giddily and started walking again, picking up their pace, their joined hands swinging between them and a new spring in their step.

In the woods, the children filled their bags and pockets with red and yellow leaves and glossy horse chestnuts.

Chelsey pointed out various types of mushrooms, and tore the cap off an example of the edible variety to show the gills and spores.

Blaine took out a tape measure and let his class measure the circumference of the trees with it, telling them that the measurement of the circumference in inches was often also the approximate age of the tree in years.

Tina distributed some paint sample cards to her first-graders and told them to look for nature items that had the same colour as their card.

Towards 3 PM, they returned to the school, the children chattering excitedly, tired but content.

"I brought you coffee, actually," said Kurt. "I meant to give it to you during your lunch break, but you were playing soccer, and I didn't want to disturb you. It's in a travel mug, so it should still be hot. I have muffins, too."

"That sounds lovely," sighed Blaine, stifling a huge yawn. "My lack of sleep is catching up with me now. I think I could crawl into bed right this minute and sleep until tomorrow morning."

"What's stopping you?" asked Kurt.

Blaine looked at him, surprised. "Well, you're here and I want to spend time with you, of course."

"But you're exhausted," countered Kurt. "And you have another full school day tomorrow."

"So you could come with me to my place," Blaine suggested, "and we could make and eat an early supper together, and then I'll send you on your way. How's that?"

"Okay, I'm in!" agreed Kurt.


	18. Chapter 18: Close Your Eyes and I'll

**Author's note: **

**Another "guest" sent me a review, expressing the hope that my next chapters would have "some man loving" in them, now that Klaine are together. If by that, you mean kissing, then this new chapter will make you happy. If you mean hardcore smut, you'll have to be patient. I'm sure you've noticed that this plot progresses really slowly. Some things cannot and should not be rushed. We'll get there in the end, I promise. Thank you for sticking around, and thank you very much for your review. That applies to all of my reviewers, by the way. I really appreciate your remarks and suggestions, and you spur me on to keep writing, so thank you, thank you, thank you!**

Chapter 18: Close your eyes and I'll kiss you

"_At her first kiss I felt something melt inside me that hurt in an exquisite way. All my longings, all my dreams and sweet anguish, all the secrets that slept deep within me came awake, everything was transformed and enchanted, everything made sense._" (Herman Hesse, Narcissus and Goldmund: A Novel)

Blaine went to fetch his bag in his classroom, waved at the other teachers and the children that hadn't been picked up by their parents yet, took Kurt's hand again and walked with him to Kurt's car.

"I live just a few streets away from here," Blaine explained, "so I always walk to school. Maybe you could just leave your car here. I don't know if there will be an available parking spot in my street."

"Let me just grab the coffee and the muffins," said Kurt, and he took them out of the car.

They walked to Blaine's apartment building slowly, sipping their coffee and nibbling their muffin.

Once inside, Blaine checked the contents of his fridge, and suggested making a simple pasta dish. He turned on the radio, and soon they were standing next to each other chopping onions, scallions, garlic, bell peppers, carrots and zucchini. They worked in companionable silence, occasionally singing along with a song on the radio.

As soon the minced meat was browned and the onions softened, they added the rest of the vegetables and half a litre of tomato passata. Blaine then went to his terrace, where he grew a collection of kitchen herbs in pots, to snip off a few laurel leaves as well as some lemon thyme, rosemary and lovage. He washed and shredded the herbs and stirred them into the sauce, adding some curcuma for good measure.

Kurt put the lid on the pan and reduced the heat.

"Now we need to let it simmer for at least three quarters of an hour," Blaine said. "Want to watch some television in the meantime?"

They settled down on the sofa and zapped through channels, stopping at an episode of Hoarders, both of them confessing that they loved reality shows, and the tackier the shows were, the better they liked them.

Blaine tried to pay attention and keep up a conversation, but his eyes kept drooping shut, and once he started yawning, he really couldn't stop.

Kurt chuckled. "You're like Toby when he insists he's not tired at all and wants to stay up."

That woke Blaine up a little. "Hey," he mock-protested, "are you saying I behave like a five-year-old?"

He crept a bit closer. _I bet he's ticklish. A child, am I? I'll give you a child!_

"Sometimes," nodded Kurt, "sometimes you do … hey! No! No, no, no! Stop it!"

Kurt flailed his arms around wildly, shrieking and giggling. "Not fair! Stop it!"

Blaine took both of Kurt's wrists and kept them above his head with one hand, tickling mercilessly with the other.

Kurt squirmed every which way, laughing helplessly until tears ran down his cheeks. "Don't! Don't! Please stop!"

"Say 'uncle'," commanded Blaine, continuing his onslaught.

"Uncle! Uncle! I give!" panted Kurt.

Blaine laughed exultantly and stopped tickling. Kurt stilled and looked up at him, his chest heaving, his hair in disarray, his cheeks pink and showing tear tracks and his eyes huge and dark. To Blaine, he had never looked more beautiful.

Blaine softly brushed a hand over Kurt's cheek, his thumb wiping away the wetness there.

Kurt shivered slightly under the touch and closed his eyes, smiling.

Blaine slowly lowered his upper body until he hovered right above Kurt, feeling his body heat but not quite touching him, and gently, oh so gently pressed his lips to Kurt's nose.

Kurt's eyes flew open and his smile grew wider.

Blaine returned the smile, and then kissed Kurt's forehead. He trailed a series of feather-light pecks from Kurt's right temple to his chin. Then he turned to the left side, gently grazing Kurt's earlobe and traveling down the column of his neck.

Kurt let out a sweet sigh and let his head fall back, exposing his neck even more.

Blaine marvelled at the softness of the creamy skin and took care not to mar its flawlessness with his five o'clock shadow.

When he'd mapped out the neck thoroughly, he cupped Kurt's face and leaned in, their foreheads touching, their breath mingling and a faint scent of roses assailing his nostrils - Kurt's body wash?

And then they moved towards one another, their lips meeting at last, and it was pure bliss. Kurt's lips were silky soft and smooth, and touching them thrilled Blaine to the core and filled him with a feeling of rightness and a sense of belonging.

They both turned on their side, facing each other and gazing deep into the other's eyes, reverent and awestruck.

Kurt hesitantly reached out and trailed his fingers along Blaine's face, soft and lingering. He stroked Blaine's hair at the nape of his neck and tugged at one of his curls. Blaine moaned in ecstasy - _ah, how I love it when somebody touches my hair_ - and that seemed to spur on Kurt, who threaded his fingers through Blaine's curls, gently massaging his scalp.

Blaine tried biting back the sounds, but he couldn't keep from moaning because that felt so good.

"I take it you like having your head rubbed," remarked Kurt, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.

"Mmm … Please don't stop," slurred Blaine drowsily.

"Weren't we supposed to eat pasta?" asked Kurt. "I'll first put the pasta to boil and check on the sauce, I'll be right back."

"Hmm …" acquiesced Blaine, eyes drooping shut again, and he felt Kurt get up and head to the kitchen.

He liked how at home Kurt seemed to feel in his apartment, cluttering in the kitchen to find the pasta and a pot to boil it in. It felt right, and homey, and wonderful, and it immediately made his mind jump to pictures of Kurt and him living together. Staring at a crack in the ceiling, he imagined them waking up next to one another, brushing their teeth together, making breakfast, going grocery shopping, redecorating the living room …

Somewhere in between the two of them picking out a beautiful antique mirror and Blaine surprising Kurt with breakfast in bed, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

**My lovely reviewer "I hate mosquitos" asked me to add the recipe for the pasta sauce to this chapter, so as to "let us all try it". So here it is … Enjoy!**

**Blaine's Pasta Sauce**

**Ingredients:**

**2 tablespoons of olive oil**

**500 g minced meat (preferably a combination of beef and pork)**

**500 ml tomato passata (or a 400 g tin of tomato cubes or whole peeled tomatoes)**

**a tin of tomato concentrate (just for the colour of the sauce, really)**

**1 big onion**

**1 shallot**

**2 cloves of garlic**

**500 g carrots (or thereabouts, I usually throw in four big carrots)**

**1 bell pepper (yellow, orange or red) and 2 zucchini or the reverse (2 bell peppers and 1 zucchini)**

**2 laurel leaves (fresh or dried)**

**1 tablespoon of curcuma**

**If you have fresh herbs: a few sprigs of (lemon) thyme, rosemary and lovage, shredded, or**

**If you only have dried herbs: 2 tablespoons of dried "Herbes de Provence"**

**Preparation:**

**1. ****Finely chop the onion, the shallot and the garlic cloves. Take out the biggest pan you have. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in the pan. Add the onion, shallot and garlic and sauté until everything is translucent and tender. Push it to the side to make room for the meat.**

**2. ****Put the minced meat in, break it up with your spoon into small bits and let it brown.**

**3. ****Finely chop the rest of the vegetables. Put them into the pan.**

**4. ****Add the tomato passata/tomato cubes/tinned tomatoes and the tomato concentrate and stir it in.**

**5. ****Add all the herbs and stir them in.**

**6. ****Put the lid on the pan and let simmer for about three quarters of an hour.**

**7. ****Bring salted water to boil and boil pasta.**

**8. Serve with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy your meal!**


	19. Chapter 19: Hold Me Close

Chapter Nineteen: Hold Me Close

"_It wasn't that long, and it certainly wasn't the kind of kiss you see in movies these days, but it was wonderful in its own way, and all I can remember about the moment is that when our lips touched, I knew the memory would last forever_." (Nicholas Sparks, _A Walk to Remember_)

Kurt really thought Blaine was going to kiss him right then and there, in front of his class. His eyes had gone so dark and he was leaning in, but then one of the children told Blaine to keep walking and catch up with the others, and the moment was gone.

Blaine winked at Kurt and they both laughed happily and started walking again, a bit faster now, keeping their hands linked.

When they caught up with the others, Tina noticed they were holding hands and sent Kurt an inquiring look. He flushed slightly but beamed at her, and she smiled back approvingly.

Towards 3 PM, they returned to the school, the children chattering up a storm, one of them claiming Blaine's other hand.

_One day, that might be us as a family. I love my niece and nephew, but it would be so wonderful to have children of my own, to spoil and to take care of. Speaking of … Don't forget about the coffee!_

"I brought you coffee, actually," said Kurt. "I meant to give it to you during your lunch break, but you were playing soccer, and I didn't want to disturb you. It's in a travel mug, so it should still be hot. I have muffins, too."

"That sounds lovely," sighed Blaine, who seemed to be fighting a yawn. "My lack of sleep is catching up with me now. I think I could crawl into bed right this minute and sleep until tomorrow morning."

"What's stopping you?" asked Kurt. _I love being here with you, but you clearly need sleep_.

Blaine seemed almost shocked to hear Kurt say that. "Well, you're here and I want to spend time with you, of course."

_Of course … And I'm so glad you do, sweetie. It's just …_

"But you're exhausted," insisted Kurt. "And you have another full school day tomorrow."

_Not to mention that I haven't gotten any work done today, so I had better head home and put in some hours_.

"So you could come with me to my place," Blaine suggested, "and we could make and eat an early supper together, and then I'll send you on your way. How's that?"

_Or I could do that, of course._

"Okay, I'm in!" agreed Kurt.

Blaine went to fetch his bag in his classroom, and then walked Kurt to his car.

"I live just a few streets away from here," Blaine explained, "so I always walk to school. Maybe you could just leave your car here. I don't know if there will be an available parking spot in my street."

"Let me just grab the coffee and the muffins," said Kurt, taking them out of the car and offering Blaine a travel mug and a muffin.

They walked at a leisurely pace, enjoying their afternoon coffee and snack.

Blaine lived in a small apartment building, on the second floor. The first thing Kurt noticed was the light. The living room had huge windows, from the ceiling to the floor, and it was as clear as day inside without having to put any lights on.

His second observation was that Blaine was very neat. There were no dirty dishes in the sink of the open kitchen, there were no smelly socks on or under the sofa, there were no empty pizza boxes or snack wrappers or beer cans on the coffee table. Of course, unlike Finn and Puck, whose houses Kurt always expected to be in this sorry state, Blaine was gay, so maybe he was just as much of a neat freak as Kurt himself.

Blaine went straight to the kitchen and checked his fridge for ingredients for supper. He suggested a pasta dish, and when Kurt nodded, he took out lots of vegetables and minced meat. They worked side by side prepping the vegetables, listening to the radio. When "Words of Love" came on, they both sang along:

"Hold me close and tell me how you feel

Tell me love is real

Words of love you whisper soft and true

Darling I love you

Let me hear you say the words I long to hear

Darling when you're near

Words of love you whisper soft and true

Darling I love you"

When the sauce was simmering away and there was nothing more to do than wait for it to be ready, Blaine suggested watching some television. They settled down on the sofa to watch Hoarders. Kurt was happy to learn that Blaine shared his love of reality shows. He liked the fact that they had so much in common, that was very promising.

Kurt enjoyed the Hoarders episode and commented throughout. Blaine, however, was clearly fighting sleep with all his might but losing the battle. His eyes kept drooping shut, and one yawn followed another.

Kurt chuckled. "You're like Toby when he insists he's not tired at all and wants to stay up."

_And it's really adorable._

Blaine looked affronted. "Hey," he pouted, "are you saying I behave like a five-year-old?"

"Sometimes," nodded Kurt, "sometimes you do …" And then he completely forgot what he was going to say when Blaine pounced on him with a tickle attack.

"Hey! No! No, no, no! Stop it!" he protested, swatting Blaine on the shoulder, who reacted by tickling him harder.

In between his shrieks of laughter and uncontrollable giggles, Kurt managed to pant: "Not fair! Stop it!"

Blaine took no notice of that, but, carefully avoiding Kurt's flailing arms and legs, he took both of Kurt's wrists and kept them above his head with one hand, continuing his assault with the other.

Kurt contorted his body in shapes that would have made his yoga teacher proud, but didn't manage to escape the cruel fingers prodding him.

"Don't! Don't! Please stop!" he pleaded.

"Say 'uncle'," commanded Blaine.

"Uncle! Uncle! I give!" panted Kurt.

_Anything, anything, but please stop tickling me!_

Blaine laughed triumphantly and let up.

Kurt sagged a little onto the sofa and stared at Blaine. His hair was a riot of curls that Kurt was itching to get his hands into. His mischievous expression made Kurt smile involuntarily, and his closeness made Kurt want as he had never wanted before.

Blaine's laughter faded as he gazed right back at Kurt, his eyes growing darker. He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, and his lips parting slightly. Then he reached out and ran a hand over Kurt's cheek, wiping away the moisture there. The tenderness and intimacy of the gesture stunned Kurt. His breath hitched, a shiver ran down his spine and unconsciously, he closed his eyes and smiled.

He felt Blaine moving closer until he was on top of Kurt without really touching him. His breath washed over Kurt's face and smelled like coffee. And then Kurt felt Blaine's lips on the tip of his nose, and that was both so sweet and so unexpected that his eyes flew open and his smile stretched as far as his lips would go.

Blaine smiled back and pressed a kiss to Kurt's forehead, then turned to his temple to continue his exploration down to Kurt's chin, his lips barely touching Kurt's skin but leaving a trail of tingling nerves in their wake. Next, he turned to Kurt's earlobe, taking it gently between his teeth, and Kurt moaned softly.

_Don't stop! Please don't ever stop!_

Blaine moved to Kurt's neck now, and aaah … That felt so good. Kurt let his head fall back, revelling in the new sensations and wanting more, more, more.

When Blaine pulled away, Kurt whined softly. He felt Blaine cradle his cheeks and lean in. Their foreheads touched, and he could feel Blaine's breath on his lips.

_Kiss me. Please kiss me. I want you so much._

Kurt reached for Blaine's mouth just as Blaine moved towards his. Their lips met and Kurt threw his arms around Blaine's neck, pulling him closer, never wanting this perfect moment to end. It sent all his senses in overdrive, luxuriating in the satiny feel of Blaine's lips, the spicy scent of his cologne, the content low rumble that built up in his throat and his thick long lashes half hiding his mesmerising eyes. His heart was racing, his nerve endings tingling and his breath coming in gasps.

They both turned on their side, facing each other. Kurt drank in the sight of Blaine so close to him, his eyes wide and glowing and his mouth curving up into a wondering smile.

_I want to touch you._

Kurt hesitantly reached out and mapped out the planes of Blaine's face. His cheeks and chin were stubbly. He stroked Blaine's hair at the nape of his neck, marvelling at the beauty and the softness of his curls. Would they spring back if you tugged at them? Yes, they did.

Blaine moaned encouragingly, and Kurt threw caution to the wind and gave in to the desire he'd felt since he'd first noticed Blaine's luscious curls. He threaded his fingers through them and softly scraped his fingers over Blaine's scalp in circular movements.

Blaine seemed to really enjoy the head rub. His eyes fluttered closed and his moaning increased in volume.

"I take it you like having your head rubbed," teased Kurt.

"Mmm … Please don't stop," slurred Blaine drowsily. He seemed half asleep already.

_He's so tired. I had better get supper finished, so that we can eat and he can go to bed soon after._

"Weren't we supposed to eat pasta?" asked Kurt. "I'll first put the pasta to boil and check on the sauce, I'll be right back."

_Sorry, sweetie, I'll give you a thorough head rub some other time, okay?_

"Hmm …" hummed Blaine, his eyes closed.

Kurt went through the kitchen cabinets and found the pasta and a pot to boil it in. He lifted the lid of the sauce pan and picked out a carrot to check whether it had softened enough. It had, so he turned the heat off. As soon as the salty water boiled, he put in the pasta and set the kitchen timer, and a few minutes later, supper was ready to be dished out.

"Blaine? Come and have supper!" Kurt called.

He got no answer, and went to the sofa. He smiled tenderly at the scene that greeted him there.

Blaine was fast asleep, his hand tucked under his cheek and a small smile playing on his lips. He looked unbelievably gorgeous like this, and much younger than his years. The child he had been was there in his smooth face, and Kurt itched to hold him tight and kiss him again.

He did neither. He took an afghan off the back of the sofa and draped it carefully over Blaine, tucking him in. He kissed Blaine softly on the forehead, and then went back to the kitchen.

He didn't think Blaine would mind if he ate some of the pasta, so he ate his fill and did the dishes. Then he filled the sink with cold water to cool off the pan with pasta sauce quickly, and put the rest of the food in the fridge.

Looking for a piece of paper and a pen, he went to the computer desk in the corner. Next to Blaine's laptop, there was an open sketch pad and the sketch that met Kurt's eyes took his breath away. It showed Kurt and Blaine in bed together, with two little children between them, a boy with Kurt's hair and colouring, and a curly head that seemed to favour Blaine.

That vision of the future was so beautiful and perfect that it stabbed Kurt's heart with a sharp pang of longing.

Shaking it off, he grabbed a post-it note and quickly jotted down a message. He stuck the note onto Blaine's computer screen and went to fetch his coat.

He allowed himself one last look at his sleeping boyfriend and then left the apartment, softly closing the door behind him.

**Author's note:**

**The song I'm referring to in this chapter is "Words of Love" by Buddy Holly (here in The Beatles' version)**

**The sketch I'm referring to is a beautiful drawing by CBM, aka Pencilpushingenthusiast on Tumblr, posted in 2012 (around New Year). The other CBM sketches are all well worth checking out as well, they're all equally wonderful**.


	20. Chapter 20: Inspiration

Chapter 20: Inspiration

"_Oh. Well, that explains everything. Amateurs should never design their own dresses. And certainly not their own_ wedding dress." (Meg Cabot, _Queen of Babble_)

Kurt snipped off a loose thread and held up the garment for inspection. He'd remembered the Fuller-Keller wedding and the 11 AM fitting scheduled on Tuesday on his way home from Westerville, and he had immediately panicked.

Luckily, he liked to keep on top of things and the suits for the groom, the best man and the groomsmen were completely finished already. All that remained was the outfit for the ring bearer, a cheeky but cherubic six-year-old with blonde curls and chocolate eyes. He'd planned on sewing the miniature suit during the weekend and tweaking all of the outfits on Monday, but he hadn't gotten any work done in four days. Four days!

It wasn't like him to neglect his work. He was a perfectionist and - he wasn't afraid to admit it - a true workaholic. He loved designing and sewing new creations. Seeing his vision come to life never ceased to thrill him, and though he made enough money to hire seamstresses and shop clerks and expand his business, he chose not to.

He preferred to keep his label small, and to do everything himself. His customers seemed to like how exclusive "Hummingbird by KEH" was, and didn't mind his waiting list one bit. They knew they would eventually get a perfectly tailored, lovingly handmade one-of-a-kind suit that matched their complexion and made their eyes pop.

The suits for this wedding were not all in the same colour, and the detailing was different for each one, but every suit would complement the others admirably. The groom and his men would look very distinguished on their own and as a group.

He'd been cutting and sewing like a fiend non-stop since he'd arrived home, and he praised himself lucky that the wedding was actually on Saturday, which gave him a few more days for adjusting and perfecting the suits.

Now, it was three in the morning and the ring bearer suit was finally done. He sighed and wearily trudged to bed. Just this once, he'd skip his skincare regimen. Sleep was more important.

K&B

When Kurt woke up the next morning, he immediately reached for his laptop. In his sleep, he'd dreamt up the perfect principal character to solve his latest murder mystery. And maybe, just maybe, he'd finally found that detective figure his publishers had been bugging him about. The one that would stick around for many more books to come. The one that was relatable, a bit quirky and definitely a lot more fleshed out than his detectives usually were.

He quickly jotted down a character description, not deciding on the name yet, that would come later. But seeing as his new creation resembled Blaine, perhaps his name could be similar, too. A tribute to Blaine, for being Kurt's inspiration. A Scandinavian-sounding last name, and the first name could be … Hm, maybe Blaine had more than one given name and he could use one of the spares. Making a mental note to ask Blaine if he had a middle name, Kurt got up and quickly showered, dressed and breakfasted.

He was working on a detail on the ring bearer's vest when the shop door opened with a ping of the bell. The wedding party had arrived.

Kurt shook hands all around and did a double-take when he realised one of the party was Jeff, Blaine's colleague and former crush.

"Jeff!" he exclaimed.

"Hey Kurt," smiled Jeff.

"Are you one of the groomsmen, too?" asked Kurt apprehensively. "You weren't there last time, when I took all the measurements."

"No, no, don't worry," Jeff hurried to reassure him. "I'm just bringing little Ian here, seeing as his dad couldn't make it, and none of the groomsmen wants to look after 'Ian the Imp'. He's a menace, always full of mischief. But seeing as he's my sister's boy and I've babysat him since he was in diapers, I've got his number. I'll see to it that he doesn't destroy your shop nor any of these fancy clothes."

"Thank you," breathed Kurt in relief. "Let's focus on Ian's suit first, so that the both of you can leave as soon as Ian's fitting is over. Okay?"

"Okay," grinned Jeff, his nephew mirroring his grin.

Kurt got to work, and half an hour later, Ian and Jeff skipped out of the shop happily. Ian's behaviour had been exemplary, yet Kurt exhaled shakily and felt better as soon as he'd left. The last thing he needed was ruined outfits he'd have to make all over again.

The afternoon passed quickly, with Kurt making adjustments to the suits for the wedding party and, during his coffee break, sketching an outfit in burgundy and pearl grey, and a whimsical black-and-white bow tie with a psychedelic pattern to go with it. He'd absent-mindedly added dark curls to the figure's head before he even realised.

After his break, he took to boxing up orders and stacking the packages in a neat pile at the front door, ready for the UPS man to pick them up the next day. Then he ordered new fabrics and other supplies and settled his invoices.

When he finally called it a day at 9 PM, quickly heating a portion of bouillabaisse he found in his freezer and eating it with toasted French bread and rouille, he checked his phone and saw that he had over a dozen missed phone calls. Blaine had tried to reach him three times, but the other calls were from an unknown number. Always the same one.

Should he call back? Or would it be hate calls from a homophobe again? But why would someone call him eleven times (eleven!) to insult him? He decided to check his texts first, to see whether those could shed some light on the calls.

**From Blaine Anderson:**

Morning sunshine! Sorry I fell asleep on you yesterday.

**From Blaine Anderson:**

And of course it was okay for you to eat the dinner we made.

**From Blaine Anderson**

Last afternoon was magical.

**From Blaine Anderson**

I love spending time with you.

**From Blaine Anderson**

When can I see you again?

**From Blaine Anderson**

Kurt?

Uh-oh. He hadn't checked his phone all day, not wanting to be distracted from work and spend the day texting Blaine. Now he regretted that decision. Blaine was probably feeling very neglected right now. His last text was sent at 3.15 PM.

He quickly answered:

**To Blaine Anderson**

Sorry, I've been working non-stop all day and haven't checked my phone.

**To Blaine Anderson**

So much to do after four days of slacking off.

**To Blaine Anderson**

So could we please schedule our next date sometime this weekend?

**To Blaine Anderson**

I miss you, though. Maybe we could Skype sometime this week?

He scrolled down and saw that he had quite a few texts from an unknown number, which turned out to be Jeff's.

**From Jeff Sterling**

Hey Kurt, this is Jeff. Blaine gave me your number.

**From Jeff Sterling**

Sorry to bug you, but I have something to ask you.

**From Jeff Sterling**

This wedding you're making suits for? The bride is my brother-in-law's sister.

**From Jeff Sterling**

Youngest of the family, so really spoilt.

**From Jeff Sterling**

Designed her wedding dress herself, had it made in Paris.

**From Jeff Sterling**

It arrived today, and it's hideous.

**From Jeff Sterling**

So she's trying to get a hold of you, in the hope you could save the dress.

**From Jeff Sterling**

Only you're not answering the phone. Please consider it?

**From Jeff Sterling**

You can ask me anything you want in return. And I'm Blaine's bestie, so … ;-)

Huh. Salvage a wedding dress and turn it into a masterpiece in just three days? That sounded like a challenge. And that was putting it mildly. But if he pulled it off, it would be quite a feat. And both the Keller and the Fuller family were very rich and influential, so it would be good for business.

Not to mention he was intrigued. What would the dress look like? How could he make it look fabulous and make the bride look stunning? His brain was suddenly overrun with ideas. But first things first. He needed to call the bride, ask her to mail him photos of the dress from all angles so that he could brainstorm and sketch, and then he needed the dress in his workroom as soon as possible, so that he could start revamping it.

Why did he get the impression that there were more sleepless nights in store for him? And why did that prospect make him grin like a Cheshire cat?


	21. Chapter 21: Tell Us All About It

**Author's Note: **

**Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving :) I'm thankful for my readers and especially my reviewers :) I have a few faithful reviewers (the -power-of-love, VoyageAsia and regularly I hate mosquitos, too), and I love their insights. I can't tell you how much it thrills me any time I get a review :) Not only does that inspire me and motivate me, it also tells me what about my story you like and dislike, so that I can tweak it. So reviewers help shape my story, definitely. That is why I wish to draw out all you quiet readers. Whoever writes a review about Chapter 21, gets a private message from me with a sneak peak at Chapter 22. That means you have to log in to review, seeing as I can't send private messages to guest reviewers, to my everlasting regret.**

Chapter 21: Tell Us All About It

"_I'm humming as I make my way to work the next morning._

_I can't help it. It's a gorgeous spring morning. The sky overhead is achingly blue, the birds are singing, the weather is warm, the flowers are blooming, and the drug dealers are out in full force, happily toting their wares. Let's face it, there's a lot to hum about. I'm happy—actually genuinely, one hundred percent happy—for the first time in—well, forever._

_And not because I'm full of a high-calorie confection from the nearby coffee shop, either. But because I'm full of love._

_Cloyingly sweet? Disgustingly trite? I know. I can't help it though_." (Meg Cabot, _Big Boned_)

Blaine's alarm clock went off. It sounded strangely far away and muted. After a few moments, though, the sound became so annoying that Blaine blindly reached to silence it, but his hand encountered no alarm clock and no bedside table. He reached further, lost his balance and crashed onto the floor.

He shook his head groggily and sat up, blinking in surprise. What was he doing sleeping on the sofa in the living room? Ouch, his neck was stiff.

And then he remembered. He'd brought Kurt here after the nature walk. They had made pasta sauce together. They had watched Hoarders. They had kissed, and it was glorious. Kurt had given him a head rub, and he'd closed his eyes and enjoyed every minute of it.

He couldn't remember anything after that, so he supposed he must have fallen asleep. Not the best impression you could make on your brand-new boyfriend. Ah well …

Kurt must have tucked him in, he realised. An afghan was still firmly wrapped around his legs and torso, and it had kept him toasty warm all night.

He divested himself of the afghan, folded it in two and hung it back over the sofa. Then he stretched himself, popping the kinks in his neck, back and arms, and slouched to the kitchen. Coffee. He needed coffee.

He veered off-track when the insistent noise of his alarm clock broke through his stupor again, and went to his bedroom first, to switch the irritating thing off.

On his way back to the kitchen, his eye was drawn to a yellow Post-it stuck to his laptop screen. From Kurt, no doubt!

The note said:

_Dear Blaine,_

_You fell asleep and I really don't want to wake you up, you need your rest! I hope you don't mind, but I ate some of the pasta dish we made together. It was really yummy, by the way. You will find the rest of it in the fridge._

_I had a really great time with you this afternoon. It's good that I can go home early, though, I really need to get some work done. I've been skiving off since Friday!_

_Miss you already …_

_Love,_

_Kurt xxx_

Blaine smiled. He'd liked the fact that Kurt had dropped everything on Monday to spend the afternoon with him. And what a lovely afternoon it had been! Kurt was his boyfriend now! They had kissed! It was everything he'd been dreaming of for years, and he couldn't be happier.

He found his cell phone and sent two texts to Kurt.

**To Kurt Hummel:**

Morning sunshine! Sorry I fell asleep on you yesterday.

**To Kurt Hummel:**

And of course it was okay for you to eat the dinner we made.

He didn't get an immediate response, so he put his cell phone in his bag and showered, got dressed, made himself some blueberry pancakes and then walked to school, humming the whole time.

After a lesson about the seasons, talking about the cycle of plants growing and bearing fruit and dying and then sprouting again in spring, and more in particular about why tree leaves change colours in fall, the children made a fall leaf wreath to take home and hang on their front door.

At noon, Blaine headed to the teachers' room with his sandwiches. Tina was there already, and it was clear that she was dying to know what was going on between Blaine and Kurt. She made a beeline for him, steered him to a table, plumped into a chair and ordered: "Spill!"

Blaine chuckled. "Can I at least eat my sandwiches first?"

Chelsey joined them at their table, and she and Tina said in unison and very firmly: "No."

Chelsey took Blaine's hand and squeezed it excitedly, bouncing up and down in her chair. "You know you want to talk about it. Come on, Blaine, give us details, please. You can't just turn up out of the blue with a yummy stranger and hold hands with him and everything, and then leave us guessing. Who is this Kurt? When and where did you meet him? Is he your boyfriend? Have you guys kissed yet? Have you had sex yet? Tell us all about it, come on!"

Blaine grinned widely. "Okay, okay. Actually, Tina has known Kurt for much longer than I have, so for more in-depth information, you'll have to pump her. Anyway, I met Kurt at the book fair last Friday. Tina introduced us. And then Kurt forgot his phone at the fair and I found it, and he came to pick it up on Saturday, and I kind of invited him to Tina's Halloween party on Sunday. He came to the party, and we talked for hours, and it was wonderful. And then I invited him to come along on our nature walk, and Robby was being nosy, as usual, and asked all sorts of questions, among others if Kurt was my boyfriend, and he said 'Not yet', so I asked him. So yes, we're boyfriends now. And yes, we've kissed. No more than that, though, Chelsey. We're taking it slow."

Tina and Chelsey both squealed.

"I'm so happy for you both," said Tina. "Seriously, I've been meaning to introduce you for years, but neither of you is very sociable. I think this is the first time you've come to a party of mine, and the same goes for Kurt, so thank goodness for that book fair. I always knew that the two of you belonged together. You're both true romantics, and you like the same music and the same television programmes. And you both love to read and to cook. I'm sure you'll be one of those couples who finish each other's sentences and feed each other titbits when you go out for dinner."

"Rather like you and Mike then?" asked Blaine slyly.

They all laughed.

"So when's the next date?" inquired Tina.

"I don't know," said Blaine. "Maybe this weekend? I haven't heard from him yet today."

He checked his cell phone, but there were no new messages. He felt a bit disappointed, but decided to send Kurt some more texts.

**To Kurt Hummel**

Last afternoon was magical.

**To Kurt Hummel**

I love spending time with you.

**To Kurt Hummel**

When can I see you again?

He hoped he wouldn't have to wait until the weekend. Maybe he could drive to Lima after school one day and surprise Kurt.

The afternoon passed quickly, with a maths lesson that taught his third graders some money skills. Basically, they all pretended to go Christmas shopping, buying presents for their family and friends. The presents were an assortment of books, CDs and toys Blaine had priced with a sticker.

Blaine gave the children real money to shop with, one dollar bills and an assortment of coins: half-dollars, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies. Half of his class played the role of cashier, the other half were shoppers, and as soon as the shoppers had finished their purchases, the roles were switched and the former shoppers took to handling the cash register.

Blaine encouraged the shoppers to count the dollars and coins aloud for the cashiers, and helped both parties whenever necessary. They did remarkably well. With the incentive of getting a present and not paying too much for it (shopper) or getting the exact sales price for a certain item (cashier), counting and adding and subtracting proved a lot more interesting and rewarding.

He rewarded them for their hard work by taking his guitar and inventing a silly song about a man going Christmas shopping and everything going wrong. The refrain had very simple lyrics they could all sing along to, and between fits of giggles, the children sang along lustily.

That concluded the school day, and Blaine brought his class to the schoolyard, straightened up his classroom, helped Chelsea carry a few boxes of Thanksgiving decorations to the Round Room and then waved goodbye and went home.

As soon as Blaine stepped off the school grounds, he checked his phone again. No messages. Kurt wasn't having second thoughts, was he?

_Okay, one more text, and then I'll wait until after business hours. He's probably hard at work. Doesn't he take any lunch or coffee breaks, though? Ah well … I'll give him until 6 PM, and then I'll call him._

**To Kurt Hummel**

Kurt?

**Author's Note:**

**Want a sneak peak at the next chapter? You know what to do ;)**


	22. Chapter 22: Muffins And Plans

**Author's Note:**

**Maybe it's silly to continue this, but I'll try bribing you again. Whoever writes a review for this chapter, receives a private message with a sneak peek at the next chapter :) That means you have to be logged in, otherwise I can't send you a private message, sorry.**

Chapter 22: Muffins And Plans

"_Sometimes you don't need a goal in life, you don't need to know the big picture. You just need to know what you're going to do next!_" (Sophie Kinsella, _The Undomestic Goddess_)

Blaine's new story was coming along nicely. He knew he wanted to feature the scene he'd just described on the cover of the book, so he got out his easel, paints, paper and brushes and started bringing to life the vision in his head.

A few hours later, he stood back and looked at his creation critically. He nodded in satisfaction, put away his painting supplies and went to the kitchen to heat up last night's pasta dinner.

He looked at the microwave clock and saw that it was past 7 PM. He put the plate in, set the timer and looked for his cell phone. One new message, but it was from Jeff, not from Kurt.

**From Jeff Sterling**

Blainers, can I have Kurt's phone number please? It's an emergency.

He frowned. What did Jeff want Kurt's number for?

He shrugged and sent Jeff a text with the number. Jeff could be annoying and mischievous from time to time, but he was trustworthy.

His phone pinged, and he eagerly read the new message, but it was just a quick word of thanks from Jeff. No sign of life from Kurt yet.

_Shall I call him now, or shall I eat first?_

His stomach growled loudly and indignantly.

_Oh, all right then, dinner first._

After dinner, he sat down on the sofa and called Kurt, but the phone kept ringing and ringing and finally switched to voicemail. After three tries, he gave up, disgruntled.

_Surely, he's not still at work, is he? Maybe he's having dinner right now._

He turned the TV on and zapped through channels listlessly. Nothing good was on, so he rifled through his DVD collection and decided on an old James Bond film.

When the film was almost over, his phone pinged at last.

**From Kurt Hummel**

Sorry, I've been working non-stop all day and haven't checked my phone.

_That's what I thought. I hope he won't think I'm clingy for having sent so many texts._

**From Kurt Hummel**

So much to do after four days of slacking off.

_True, I've been rather greedy the past few days, wanting to see him again and again. I don't regret it, though, I treasure every minute I spend with him. I hope he's not in trouble, though. I wouldn't want him to miss his deadlines._

**From Kurt Hummel**

So could we please schedule our next date sometime this weekend?

_I thought he'd say that. Maybe I can drive to Lima tomorrow and surprise him. Would he be angry with me for disturbing him if I brought him coffee and baked toffee cheesecake?_

**From Kurt Hummel**

I miss you, though. Maybe we could Skype sometime this week?

_Anytime, sweetie!_

He tried calling Kurt again, but this time he got a busy signal. And whoever was on the phone with Kurt, turned out to be loquacious, because half an hour later and an hour later, the line was still busy.

Frustrated, he decided to text back and then go straight to bed.

**To Kurt Hummel**

That's okay. I hope I didn't make you miss any deadlines by asking you to skip work yesterday.

**To Kurt Hummel**

Next weekend is all open for me. Want to go see a movie?

**To Kurt Hummel**

And I'd love to Skype with you, anytime you like.

**To Kurt Hummel**

Sweet dreams xxx

K&B

The next morning, before he went to school, he went to his favourite bakery for the baked toffee cheesecake. On a whim, he decided to buy some chocolate chip muffins, too, as a snack for his colleagues and himself. He went back home to put the cheesecake in the fridge, then set of to work, whistling.

The first person he saw at school was Jeff.

"Blainers! Please tell me those are baked goods and I can have some!"

He tilted his head, pouted his lips and gazed at Blaine beseechingly.

Blaine laughed. "I brought muffins. Chocolate chip. And yes, you can have one."

He let Jeff take a muffin out of the bag.

Jeff sniffed at it, sighed ecstatically and took a bite. "Ah, heaven!"

He threw himself at Blaine, gave him a bear hug and a smacking kiss on the cheek and declared: "Blaine, I love you forever! You're the bestest friend anyone has ever had!"

Blaine chuckled. "One bite of muffin and you regress back into childhood."

Jeff pouted. "You're mean! Well, I was going to tell you all about seeing Kurt yesterday, and now I won't, so there."

Quick as a flash, Blaine stole Jeff's muffin and put it behind his back.

"Hey!" protested Jeff. "My muffin!"

"You're not getting it back until you tell me about Kurt," said Blaine. "Where did you see him?"

Jeff lunged for his muffin, but Blaine evaded him. "Tell me, and you'll get your muffin back."

Jeff crossed his arms and huffed mutinously.

"Well?" asked Blaine.

"Alright, alright," said Jeff. "You know I'm going to a wedding on Saturday, right?"

"Right," said Blaine.

"Well, my nephew Ian is the ring bearer. And he's getting a fancy suit to wear. Yesterday was the fitting, and my brother-in-law couldn't go, so he recruited me to bring Ian to the fitting and to keep him in line."

"I see," said Blaine. "So where does Kurt come in?"

"He's making the suits for the wedding," clarified Jeff. "Very spiffy. Very Kurt."

"Oh," said Blaine. "So you went to his shop?"

"That's right," said Jeff. "I saw him in action, and a lovely sight it was, too."

Blaine swatted his arm. "Hey, you've got a boyfriend of your own, stop perving on mine!"

"What?" Jeff looked at Blaine with eyes like saucers. "You're boyfriends now? Since when? And why am I always the last person to know? I'm your best friend! You should have told me straightaway!"

Blaine grinned. "You're hardly the last person to know. The only people who know are Tina and Chelsey, and now you. And it's fairly recent. Since Monday."

"You saw Kurt on Monday?" asked Jeff. "You didn't sleep at his place after the party, I know, because you brought us home. Did you go to Lima after school?"

Blaine shook his head. "No, Kurt came here, as a chaperone for our nature walk."

"Wow," said Jeff. "Closing his shop and driving all the way here to go trampling about in the mud with you? He must really like you."

Blaine beamed. "I guess so. I really like him, too."

"Oh, trust me, I know," grinned Jeff. "I watched you at the party, and the heart eyes you were making at him were pretty obvious."

Blaine's cheeks heated up, but he didn't stop smiling.

Then he remembered what he wanted to ask Jeff. "Hey Jeff, what did you want Kurt's number for? You said it was an emergency?"

"Oh … Yes, it was, a wedding emergency," explained Jeff. "The bride is unhappy about her dress, and wants Kurt to fix it for her."

"Unhappy about her dress?" asked Blaine. "Is she wearing her mother's wedding dress or something like that?"

"No," sighed Jeff. "She designed it herself and then had it made in Paris and shipped here. It arrived yesterday and it's hideous. Even Naomi herself admits that. It's a disaster. I hope your Kurt is a miracle man."

"Now I'm glad I'm going to Lima this afternoon," said Blaine. "Maybe I can help somehow."

"Uhm, Blaine, that might not be the best idea," frowned Jeff. "He's going to need every minute of every day he's got left before the wedding. You shouldn't distract him."

"I won't distract him," vowed Blaine. "I'll make sure he has coffee to drink and I'll make him dinner, so that he doesn't have to waste any time on making or ordering food."

Jeff looked at him quizzically. "You sound like the two of you are already married."

Blaine flushed up again. "Am I overstepping? Should I just stay at home and send him some encouraging texts?"

Jeff thought it over, and then shook his head. "No. This is who you are. Always slightly over the top in whatever you say or do for the people you love. If he can't deal with that right from the start, he's not right for you. So go for it. I think he'll appreciate it."

Blaine grinned a bit sheepishly. He was intense, he knew that. When he fell in love, it was head over heels and very deeply. He just hoped that wouldn't scare Kurt off.

Jeff held out his hand. "Now can I have my muffin back?"

**Author's Note: You know what to do if you want a sneak peek ;)**


	23. Chapter 23: A Rose for a Rose

**Author's Note:**

**I've received more reviews for the latest chapters, so I'm going to offer my sneak peek bribe again for more reviews :)**

Chapter 23: A Rose for a Rose

"_It looks as if a lace factory threw up on her. There is lace everywhere… the poufed sleeves… the insert above the neckline… dripping from the bodice and the skirt, then looped up in bunches all around the hem. It's the kind of wedding dress some girls dream of …_

_When they're nine._" (Meg Cabot, _Queen of Babble_)

Kurt pursed his lips and frowned as he looked the dress up and down, and motioned for the girl to twirl around slowly, so that he could assess the monstrosity from all sides.

The bride-to-be was a tiny little slip of a thing, beautiful and ethereal, with glowing alabaster skin that rivalled Kurt's, a long graceful neck, vivid red hair in big curls and piercing green eyes. She was slender, but had curves that, emphasized by the right dress, would surely drive her fiancé to distraction.

But the Parisian concoction did nothing for her, and that was an understatement. It was bad. It was really bad. The colour was all wrong, the dress was too bulky and bombastic and not at all figure-flattering.

"Miss Keller, may I be blunt?" asked Kurt.

"It's Naomi, and you won't say anything I haven't heard from my mother and sisters already, so go right ahead," said the prospective bride.

"Well, Naomi, this is certainly not the right dress for you. You have flawless cream and roses skin, and this hot pink sets that off admirably, but I'm afraid the colour clashes with your hair, and you really need to take that into account as well."

"So no pink, then?" pouted Naomi. "I like pink."

"So do I," confessed Kurt. "And it's a wonderful idea to add colour to your wedding dress. All white is so boring."

"It is," agreed Naomi. "And I'm so pale that I look washed out in plain white."

"We'll definitely keep some colour, then," promised Kurt. "The next issue with the dress is that it drowns you out. It's a case of the dress wearing you rather than the other way around. You have a beautiful tiny waist, but you look positively shapeless under that massive hoop skirt and with those voluminous roses all over your bodice. They're beautifully shaped, and again, I like the idea, so we're keeping a few of them. They won't go on the bodice, though. We want your curves displayed to their best advantage, not hidden behind taffeta roses."

"Okay," nodded Naomi.

"How do you feel about a back décolleté?" asked Kurt. "I'm planning to make a jacket to go over the dress anyway. It's November, you'll need it."

He looked at Naomi consideringly, making note of her nose stud, the chunky rings she was wearing and the butterfly tattooed on her wrist, and added: "Do you want a feminine jacket or a cool rock chick one?"

"The rock chick one, definitely," enthused Naomi. "And I'm okay with a low back neckline, absolutely, that's sexy, like the blue dress Gwyneth Palthrow wore in Iron Man."

"Okay …"

Kurt inspected all the layers of the dress. There was certainly enough material and then some. The slip Naomi wore underneath was a beautiful pale pink.

"Naomi, do you like this shade of pink?" he asked.

Naomi nodded. "I like all shades of pink. I just went with a vibrant colour because I thought it would make me stand out."

Kurt chuckled. "It would make you stand out, make no mistake about that, but it wouldn't be in a good way. It's just … too much. You call it a vibrant colour, I wouldn't hesitate to call it garish. Tacky, even. In small doses, it would work. But an entire wedding dress in this colour wouldn't look good on anyone. Not even Miranda Kerr could pull it off. So I'd like to suggest we get rid of the hot pink and turn this slip into the wedding dress. It has more than enough material for a lovely A line dress that clings to your curves in the best possible way. What do you think?"

"Uh … Okay …" said Naomi.

Kurt took his sketch book and started drawing his take on Naomi's wedding dress, a front view and a back view. An A line dress with a chapel train quickly materialised. He added sleeves and other details, and kept up a running commentary as he sketched.

"And then I'd used detachable cap sleeves in sheer lace. Detachable because I thought you might wear them in church and then leave them off for the dance and be a bit more casual. The same for the train, I'll make sure it can be hitched up in an elegant way for the dancing. And I was thinking about using the hot pink for the train, maybe tempered by a layer of sheer white chiffon. That would really make the dress pop, and with the back décolleté, it's not close enough to your hair to clash with it. And then the taffeta roses, I would make them slightly smaller, because these flowers are so big that they're more like peonies, and I would only use them from the knees down."

Naomi's mouth fell open. "This is beautiful. This is brilliant. This is exactly the dress I always wanted. How did you know?"

Kurt chuckled. "I didn't know. What I do know is what would look good on you, and this will make you look stunning. Now let's talk about the jacket. It will definitely have to be lined with down, to make it warm enough, and with the same pale pink fabric as your wedding dress, to make the entire look coherent. But seeing as this jacket is something you'll be able to wear again and again, not just on your wedding day, I want it to be exactly what you like best. You have two options: either I make a leather jacket, or I make a denim jacket. It will be black, with embroidered hot pink rosebuds all over, with bright green stems and leaves. What material would you like best?"

"Oh, the leather jacket, please!" squealed Naomi. "It's sounds wonderful. But can you pull this off in three days?"

"I hope so," said Kurt. "I might have to call in some favours, though …"

"Favours?" asked Naomi.

Kurt nodded. "I made wedding gowns for all of my girlfriends, as a favour to them, because usually I stick to men's wear. So now it's their turn to help me out. Tina is an excellent seamstress, Santana and Quinn can embroider like nobody's business and Rachel and Brittany can make the taffeta roses."

"If I can do anything to help, please set me to work. It's my fault you have to solve this mess, so the least I can do is help," volunteered Naomi.

Kurt's mouth fell open in shock. "You're getting married this Saturday and you'd drop everything to stay here with me at the shop and help whip your wedding dress into shape? Don't you have a million things still to arrange and check and double-check?"

"Please don't judge me," said Naomi, "but weddings are so not my thing. My mother loves organising all kinds of events and she planned her own wedding so flawlessly that it became a standard for high society weddings hereabouts. My elder sisters are just like her, and their weddings were pretty perfect as well."

"And now there's me, the afterthought and the oddball, who didn't want to get married in the first place. I said no to all the perfect marriage candidates my mother and sisters introduced to me and flat out refused a coming out party when I turned sixteen."

"When I fell in love with Greg, my mother was astounded and pleased that he came from an "old-money" family like mine, and insisted on a lavish wedding. My father usually takes my side, and thanks to him, I escaped the cotillion cattle market, but now he stood firm and told me to humour my mother. So I said, okay, but on condition that I don't have to organise anything myself, and that I get free reign to design my own wedding dress. The first condition was a stroke of genius, if I say so myself, because all Greg and I have to do is write our wedding vows and turn up. The second condition, though, was not such a good idea, and I'm really and truly sorry you're bearing the brunt of my mistakes."

"So yes, I'm quite serious, I'd do anything I can to help you out. The rest of the wedding is taken care of by my mother and sisters, and they're doing a better job planning it than I ever could, so I have every confidence in them. I'm the anti-bridezilla."

Kurt threw his head back and laughed. "And here I thought you'd be obnoxious and micromanaging and I'd have to use my extensive powers of persuasion to firmly guide you into the right direction."

Naomi giggled. "No, I'm completely malleable, I assure you, and I'm blown away by your sketch. I think even my mother will approve. Except perhaps of the jacket."

"Duly noted," said Kurt. "I'll scan in these sketches and let you e-mail them to your mother. I'd like her opinion. If the jacket won't cut it for the church ceremony, we'll keep it for the going away outfit and use Rachel's white faux fur shrug instead. Look, this is what she wore at her wedding. She married in December, and it was snowing. I'll scan in this photograph, too, so that your mother can see both options. You wouldn't mind using Rachel's shrug? It could be your "something borrowed". She only wore it that one time, and it's still in perfect condition. I made the shrug myself and Santana and Quinn embroidered the baby pink rosebuds onto it. It suits your dress and it looks formal enough to please your mother."

Naomi looked dumbfounded. "I wouldn't mind, no. But why would your friend let me borrow her shrug? She doesn't know me at all."

Kurt shrugged. "She's my sister-in-law and she owes me about a hundred favours, so if I ask her, she'll gladly lend it to you. I'll call her right now and ask her, if you like. Can you e-mail your mother in the meantime? Does she check her e-mail often?"

"She gets notifications on her phone, so yes," said Naomi. "I think she'll be very impressed. She thought it would be impossible to save this dress. She's already contacted Vera Wang for a back-up dress in my size. She was furious with me when my dress arrived and it turned out to be such a disaster."

"What colour are your bridesmaids' dresses, by the way?" asked Kurt. "I have to make sure they don't clash with your dress."

"They're lilac," answered Naomi promptly. "My mother chose them. She chose the bridesmaids, too, by the way. The only one I put my foot down about was Ian, the ring bearer. He's my brother's son, and Charles and I have always been very close. I get on much better with Charles than with my sisters. My mother didn't want Ian to be the ring bearer because she considers him 'unreliable'. Translation: he's always up to some mischief. But I wanted him anyway."

"I saw Ian yesterday, for the fitting, and he behaved really well," said Kurt.

"Jeff came with him, didn't he?" inquired Naomi. "Jeff's a regular snake charmer where Ian is concerned, he just gets him and anticipates any mischief Ian might have in mind."

"So let Jeff keep an eye on him at the wedding, and it will be fine," suggested Kurt.

"Yes, that's what I was planning to ask Jeff …" Naomi trailed off when her phone beeped. "Oh, my mother's answered already. She likes the dress as you designed it, but would prefer the shrug to the jacket."

"Excellent," smiled Kurt. "Let's get the girls here and get this show on the road!"

**Author's Note: You know the drill ... If you want a sneak peek at the next chapter, review!**


	24. Chapter 24: All for One and One for All

**Author's Note: Want a sneak peek? Write a review! Thanks very much in advance, I love your feedback :)**

Chapter 24: All for One and One for All

"_Occasionally everyone would take a break from quilting, and they would hurry to the kitchen for snacks and conversation, giggling like kids at recess, until their fingers felt ready to pick up their needles again. Sarah was delighted to see how quickly eight pairs of hands virtually flew over the fabric._" (Jennifer Chiaverini, _The Quilter's Apprentice_)

It was a quarter to twelve, and Kurt's workroom was abuzz with activity and chatter. He had called all his girls and Rachel had turned up ten minutes after he'd called, bringing the promised shrug with her. Soon after, Quinn, Santana and Brittany arrived as well, and he expected Tina at around five in the afternoon.

He'd taken Naomi's measurements and had cut the leather pieces for the jacket first, so that Quinn and Santana could start embroidering straightaway. Rachel, Brittany and Naomi were diligently making taffeta roses, in a few different shades of pink. Kurt himself was cutting a train out of the hot pink fabric and thinking about how he was going to insert this into the dress.

The shop bell clanged, and Kurt reluctantly went to the front of the shop to help the customer who'd shown up. Only, it wasn't a customer. It was a delivery boy. He held a huge bag of delicious-smelling Chinese food and drawled: "Mr Hummel?"

"Yes, that's me, only I haven't ordered anything," answered Kurt, bewildered. Was this delivery meant for his dad?

"It was ordered for you by a Mr Anderson. There's a note in the bag. Enjoy!" said the delivery boy, depositing the bag on the counter and turning to leave.

"Wait!" shouted Kurt.

The boy turned around again impatiently. "What?"

"How much do I owe you?" asked Kurt.

"Nothing," said the boy. "It's been paid already."

Kurt whipped out his wallet and handed the boy a tip anyway. He shrugged, accepted the money and went out.

Kurt peeked into the bag and found the note. It said:

"_Dear Kurt,_

_Tina tells me the New Directions girls are called out in full force to help you get a wedding dress ready on time. You probably have no time to waste on making or even ordering food, so here's some sustenance for all of you._

_Love,_

_Blaine_"

Kurt blinked a tear away. That was such a thoughtful thing to do. And it was more than welcome, seeing as lunch for him and the girls hadn't so much as crossed his mind. His thoughts had been and still were consumed with wedding finery.

He took the bag of food to the workroom and told everyone to stop working and join him upstairs for lunch. As soon as everyone was happily munching away, he looked for his phone to send his thanks to Blaine.

He hadn't checked his phone since he ended the call to Naomi the night before, and now he saw that he had three missed calls from Blaine, and several texts, all of them dating from Tuesday evening.

**From Blaine Anderson**

That's okay. I hope I didn't make you miss any deadlines by asking you to skip work yesterday.

_That's right, I went to Westerville on Monday. Wow, that seems like ages ago._

**From Blaine Anderson**

Next weekend is all open for me. Want to go see a movie?

_I can't make any plans right now, but I'll definitely get back to you on that. What kind of films do you like, anyway? We need to play Twenty Questions sometime, there's so much I still don't know about you._

**From Blaine Anderson**

And I'd love to Skype with you, anytime you like.

_Note to self: make some time tonight to Skype with Blaine. Don't forget!_

**From Blaine Anderson**

Sweet dreams xxx

_Aww, isn't he just the sweetest?_

Kurt had been so distracted by the wedding dress challenge that he hadn't so much as spared a thought for Blaine. Blaine, who'd been trying to reach him all day yesterday. Blaine, who'd tried to make plans for a real date or a Skype date. Blaine, who'd heard about him rallying the Glee girls and sent the lot of them a delicious lunch instead of being angry at Kurt for flat out ignoring him.

_Uh-oh. And the award for the worst boyfriend of the year goes to … Kurt Hummel!_

Kurt quickly typed out his response:

**To Blaine Anderson**

Thank you so much for lunch, you're a lifesaver!

**To Blaine Anderson**

I was so intent on fixing this dress that I hadn't even thought of ordering in yet …

**To Blaine Anderson**

I feel so bad about ignoring you yet again. I'm not doing it on purpose, I swear.

**To Blaine Anderson**

Could we maybe Skype tonight? At around 9 PM?

**To Blaine Anderson**

Thanks again for being the best boyfriend ever. Kurt xxx

He had just sent that last text when his phone was snatched away from him.

"Hey!" he protested.

"Listen, Lady Hummel," drawled Santana, holding Kurt's phone out of his reach. "You called us all here to save your fabulous ass by helping you make this wedding outfit look presentable by Saturday, and then when we take a break you walk away from us and start texting. That's rude. You can take it from me, I know rude."

Kurt had the grace to blush. She was right, of course.

"Who were you texting to, anyway?" Santana asked, looking through his text messages. "Blaine? Who the hell is Blaine? Is that a girl's or a boy's name? Ooooh, what do I see here? Boyfriend? Since when do you have a boyfriend, Porcelain? And how come none of us know about this? I thought we were friends? Or is that only if you have a favour to ask?"

Rachel choked on a piece of spring roll when Santana mentioned the word 'boyfriend'. Santana thumped her on the back so hard that she nearly fell face first into her plate of noodle soup.

"Blaine's your boyfriend now? Since when?" Rachel inquired, a bit breathless still, but her eyes bright and eager.

"Who's this Blaine?" asked Quinn. "Do we know him? Did he come with you to the party this Sunday? Is that why you came? You never come to any of our parties, you're such a hermit."

"Blaine's a pretty name," said Brittany, cocking her head to the side. "I bet he's pretty, isn't he?"

Kurt blushed even harder, and nodded. "He's gorgeous."

"So tell us all about him, and tell us how you two met," demanded Quinn. "You know you want to."

Kurt told the story from the beginning. Queuing at the book fair, half asleep, with his niece, to get Smythe's autograph. The author right next to Smythe singing and telling a story, and Kurt being so blown away by the guy's talent and good looks that he didn't even notice he'd lost his phone. Then, that evening, calling his phone from his landline to see if anyone had found it, and that very same author answering the phone. Making plans to go fetch it, along with Rachel and her brood. Blaine inviting them to Tina's party. The both of them talking at the party. And then, on Monday, the good stuff: Blaine asking him to be his boyfriend, and kissing him.

The girls ooh'ed and aah'ed in all the right places. Even Santana, though she scoffed a bit at the slow pace and the sugary sweetness of Kurt's love story, seemed genuinely pleased for him.

"So I take it he's one of those Warbler guys Rachel called up to the stage this Sunday?" asked Quinn.

Kurt nodded.

"Which one is he?" inquired Santana. "The skinny blonde with the fringe and the sweet moves? Or the fun-sized caterpillar-browed Mr. Dapper?"

Kurt frowned at her description, but clarified: "The second one."

"Well, who'd have thought," drawled Santana. "Our little baby penguin's finally getting some. Wanky."

"I'm so happy for you," smiled Rachel. "As soon as I saw you together on Saturday, I knew you guys would be perfect for each other."

"He makes you happy," observed Brittany. "I have never seen you so happy before. It's nice."

Kurt smiled broadly and served himself some moo shu pork, digging in with a satisfied sigh.


	25. Chapter 25: Officially Perfect

**Author's Note: This chapter is a bit choppy, sorry about that ... Anyway, if you want a sneak peak, send me a review pretty please :)**

Chapter 25: Officially Perfect

"_He never loses patience,-never doubts or complains,-but always hopes, and works and waits so cheerfully, that one is ashamed to do otherwise before him_." (Louisa May Alcott, _Little Women_)

Blaine handed out the rest of the muffins during the morning break, in the teachers' lounge.

"Where's Tina?" he asked Nora.

"She stepped out to take a phone call, sweetie," smiled Nora. "This is delicious, by the way, thank you so much."

"You're welcome, Nora," Blaine smiled.

As soon as Tina came back in, he gave her a muffin, too.

"Thanks, Blaine, this looks yummy," Tina said brightly. "I'm going to Kurt's after school. He's revamping a wedding dress and needs all the help he can get. He called all the New Directions girls - well, all of us who live in the neighbourhood - so it's going to be fun. I'm really looking forward to it."

"Can I come?" asked Blaine.

Tina looked dubious. "Kurt will be fixated on this dress and will completely neglect you, I'm afraid. He has a one-track mind when he's trying to bring his vision to life. He completely forgets to eat and sleep and pay attention to anything else. You can come, but be prepared to be ignored by Mr. Genius at Work."

"He forgets to eat?" asked Blaine.

Tina nodded, biting a huge chunk out of the muffin.

"I just had an idea, I need to run out for a moment," said Blaine. "I'll be right back!"

He ran to the Chinese restaurant two blocks from Hawthorne, and hoped it would be open already. Luckily, it was. He placed his order, paid for it, including a hefty tip for the delivery boy, and scribbled a note to be delivered with the food.

He reached the schoolyard just as the bell rang. Tina tutted at him, but he ignored her, telling her he'd come along to Lima after school.

K&B

Blaine was eating lunch in the teacher's lounge when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He checked whom the new messages were from, and grinned from ear to ear when he saw they came from Kurt.

**From Kurt Hummel**

Thank you so much for lunch, you're a lifesaver!

_I aim to please. If this makes you answer my texts more quickly, I'll send you food every day._

**From Kurt Hummel**

I was so intent on fixing this dress that I hadn't even thought of ordering in yet …

_Uh-huh, a little birdie told me that might be the case …_

**From Kurt Hummel**

I feel so bad about ignoring you yet again. I'm not doing it on purpose, I swear.

_That's all right then … Though I'm not above bribing you with food to get your attention._

**From Kurt Hummel**

Could we maybe Skype tonight? At around 9 PM?

_I'm coming to Lima to see you, isn't that a better alternative?_

**From Kurt Hummel**

Thanks again for being the best boyfriend ever. Kurt xxx

_I like it when you call me your boyfriend._

Blaine decided to keep his answer short and simple.

**To Kurt Hummel**

You're welcome :-) Blaine xxx

"You seem awfully chipper today, Blaine," said Nora.

Blaine smiled at her.

Tina grinned. "New love will do that to you."

"Oh," said Nora, "You've met someone? I'm so happy for you, Blaine."

Jeff danced around the table, flapping his arms like a bird, singing: "Blaine and Kurt, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage."

Everyone laughed at his antics, even Blaine, who swatted him on the shoulder in mock anger.

K&B

That afternoon, Tina and her sons Michael Jr. and Henry came along to Blaine's apartment and waited while he changed clothes and grabbed the cheesecake out of the fridge. He took his guitar too, just in case.

"I hadn't counted on eight more people," he pouted. "I only got two pieces of cheesecake. Can we stop by the bakery to see if they have any left?"

"If you can make it quick," said Tina. "I promised I'd be at Kurt's by five."

The bakery's cheesecake was all sold out, so Blaine purchased some other desserts for the girls and for Tina's boys, and then Tina drove them to Lima as fast as she could.

At first, Michael Jr. and Henry were rowdy, squirming in their booster seats, pinching one another, mock fighting and arguing, but they soon fell asleep, exhausted by their school day.

"It's a good thing you're coming along," sighed Tina. "Mike texted me that he wouldn't be home before 10 PM, so I'll need someone to look after the children while I work on this dress with Kurt."

"No problem," smiled Blaine. "Private dance lesson again?"

Tina nodded. "The girl's pretty good, but the guy has two left feet. He should probably stay off the dance floor for everybody's safety. But they're getting married on Saturday, so he's expected to dance. Mike's having his work cut out for him, I can tell you."

"Is it the same wedding Kurt is making the dress for?" asked Blaine.

"Huh … I don't know. It might," said Tina. "Anyway, Finn managed to dance creditably at his wedding thanks to Mike's tutelage, so if anyone can teach this groom, it's Mike."

"True, he's an amazing dancer, better than Jeff even," agreed Blaine. "Please don't tell Jeff I said that, though."

"I would never," grinned Tina.

K&B

When they arrived in Lima, they first stopped at the Lima Bean to get coffee for the whole gang, then drove on to Kurt's shop. Tina helped the boys out of their car seats, while Blaine slung his guitar over his shoulder and grabbed the coffee tray and the pastry bag.

He felt a bit uncertain all of a sudden. How would Kurt react when he saw Blaine? Would he be happy to see Blaine or would he feel like he was being stalked? Was Blaine being clingy? Was this all too much? It was, wasn't it?

Tina saw him panicking and gently stroked his arm. "Hey, don't freak out. He'll be glad to see you, I'm sure. If only because you brought cheesecake. Did he tell you that was his favourite dessert?"

Blaine shook his head. "No. I just bought it because I love this cheesecake myself."

"You lucked out then," concluded Tina. "Come on, let's go in."

The bell clanged loudly when they opened the door to the shop. Blaine admired the understated but elegant interior of the shop, and was just browsing the tie rack next to the counter when Kurt came in.

"Tina!" he exclaimed, and enveloped her in a big hug. "Come on through to the back. Oh, you brought Junior and Henry?"

"I brought a babysitter too, don't worry," grinned Tina.

"A babysitter?" Kurt looked around and saw Blaine. His face lit up. "Blaine!"

In three strides, he was in Blaine's arms, hugging him as if his life depended on it. "I'm so glad you're here!"

Blaine chuckled.

_I guess I had nothing to worry about. And I haven't even mentioned the coffee and cheesecake yet._

"Can we take a coffee break together before you put me to work?" asked Tina.

"Sure," said Kurt. "Let me go put a pot of coffee on."

"No need," smiled Blaine, picking up the coffee tray from the counter.

"You brought coffee?" asked Kurt.

"And cheesecake," added Blaine.

Kurt's mouth fell open and for a moment, he froze. Then he moved like a whirlwind, taking the tray out of Blaine's hands, putting it back on the counter, gripping Blaine by the lapels of his coat and kissing him square on the mouth.

"You are officially perfect," he declared, stepping away with glowing eyes and a breath-taking smile.

Blaine blushed, but smiled right back, overjoyed at Kurt's reaction.

Someone whooped and catcalled behind him.

"Oh, stuff it, Santana," reacted Kurt, but there was no anger behind his words, and he kept smiling. He took the coffee tray and led the way to the workroom at the back of the shop.

Blaine grabbed the bag of pastries and followed suit, impervious to Santana's insolent stare. His lips were still tingling and he walked with a spring in his step and a new-found confidence. Kurt had liked his surprises! He was glad to see Blaine! He'd hugged him straightaway! He'd kissed him dizzy! Oh, life was good …

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	26. Chapter 26: Meeting the Girls

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Chapter 26: Meeting the Girls

"_He then kissed her._

_It was a very long time before he let her go. When he did, she looked up at him, hurt and bewilderment on her face._

_"Why did you stop?" asked Tessa._

_"I thought you might want to breathe," said Guy carefully._

_"Breathe?" said Tessa, shocked. "I don't need to breathe when I'm with you."_" (Eva Ibbotson, _Magic Flutes_)

The workroom looked as though a pink bomb had exploded. There were pieces of fabric in every hue of pink littering the floor, the tables, the chairs and even sticking to the clothes of the industriously working girls.

In a corner sat three children. Blaine recognised Sarah and Toby. The other girl was the eldest of the three. She looked about ten or eleven, and she was beautiful. Her features were flawless, her hair long and blonde, and her eyes a warm hazel colour. She seemed to be doing her homework and she looked very serious, the expression slightly marred by the tip of her tongue sticking out in concentration.

"Okay, everyone, this is my boyfriend Blaine," said Kurt. "Blaine, you know Rachel and Sarah and Toby, of course."

Blaine nodded to Rachel and waved at the children, who gave them identical beaming smiles.

"And this is Santana, please don't mind her rudeness, she has absolutely no filter."

Santana smirked. "You need someone around here to keep it real. And I approve of your Prince Charming, Porcelain, he's easy on the eyes. A bit too short and his hair's too curly, but he'll do."

Blaine chuckled, and Kurt looked as though he wanted to lash out at her, but he swallowed it and continued the introductions.

"Brittany's at the dance studio for the moment. You'll meet her later. And last but not least, there's Quinn, and her daughter Beth."

Quinn looked very much like her daughter, except for the eyes. She looked him over appraisingly and then nodded and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Blaine."

"Nice to meet you too," Blaine answered.

They all went upstairs for coffee and dessert, Santana and Tina squabbling over a tartlet they both had their eye on and Blaine helping out Henry and Toby to prevent them from smearing chocolate icing and crème pâtissière all over their sweaters.

They talked a bit about the bride-to-be, who'd apparently helped out Kurt the whole afternoon and had only just left to go make an early supper for herself and her fiancé, because they had a dance lesson afterwards. The consensus was that she was charming and sweet and worth all the effort, and that the monstrous dress she designed must have been an act of temporary insanity.

Kurt described the "before" dress to Blaine in all its horrifying glory, and then told him how he envisioned the "after" dress. Blaine was suitably impressed. The only suggestion he made was to ask the future bride to bring along her wedding shoes and any other accessories she was planning on wearing the next time she came to Kurt's shop.

"You know, she's shown that she doesn't have very good taste," he remarked reasonably. "So it's better to find out what you're dealing with before the actual wedding. She'll be wearing your creation, after all, and you don't want the overall effect to be ruined because the accessories clash with the dress. Styling is very important. Nina Garcia always says so on Project Runway."

"True," said Kurt pensively, and he fell into a fit of abstraction, clearly picturing the ideal styling for the wedding dress.

Rachel took advantage of his silence to tell Blaine about her wedding dress, also made by Kurt, and her winter wedding, and the others chipped in to discuss their weddings and dresses as well.

From there, the conversation went to work, Blaine asking how they could all so easily drop everything and come to Kurt's rescue like that. As it turned out, all of them were self-employed, except for Tina.

Rachel explained that she had been a stay-at-home mom for a long time, and then had taken an event planning course. Now, she organised children's birthday parties and baked specialty cakes on demand.

Quinn was a lawyer with her own private practice. She was strongly involved with the National Women's Law Center, and was currently an active member of Lima's city council and contemplating running for Congress.

"So after this coffee break, I'll have to go home and get some work done, I'm afraid. And yes, I'll probably hate myself tomorrow for having taken the day off, but I don't regret it one bit," she mused. "Kurt is a good friend to me, and I'm glad I've been able to pay him back for all the times he's helped me out. Also, I had a wonderful time catching up with everyone. I don't see my friends very often these days, with all the responsibilities I'm juggling. I live practically next door to Tina, yet I could only come to her party for half an hour and then I had to leave and work some more."

Santana worked as a copywriter and translator, and gave Blaine a quick overview of publicity campaigns, articles and websites she'd had a hand in. She also told him about her wife, Brittany, who gave dance lessons at the studio owned by Tina's husband, and was currently teaching a bunch of golden-agers the waltz.

After their break, Quinn and Beth left, and Kurt and the other girls got back to work, whilst Blaine gravitated towards the children. He helped them with their homework first. Then, when they told him they were hungry, he conferred with Kurt and took them to the kitchen upstairs to make them grilled cheese sandwiches for supper, with a glass of milk. After that, he drew pictures for Henry and Toby to colour in and told all of them a story connected to the pictures.

When the story ended, Sarah demanded another one, but Michael said he wanted music, and everyone in the workroom concurred, so Blaine took his guitar and started a sing-a-long, marvelling yet again at the New Directions' wonderful assortment of voices.

Around 8 PM, Toby's eyes started to droop, and Rachel called it a day, thanking Blaine prettily for looking after her children, and promising him a glowing baby-sitting recommendation if ever he needed one. She whispered something in Kurt's ear that made him blush to the tips of his ears yet smile enigmatically.

Tina took her children home as well, citing work to be done, supper to be made and children to put to bed, not necessarily in that order, and hugged Blaine goodbye with the words: "I want to hear all about it tomorrow, Bling Bling!"

And then there was just Santana left with the two of them.

"And now you're going to throw me out too, huh," she surmised, hands on her hips. "I can see you're just itching to get it on with Blaine. But Brittany's working until nine, so you're stuck with me until then. Do we have any of that Chinese food left? I'm hungry and I'm sick and tired of all this fiddly embroidery stuff. My eyes are so tired I'm starting to squint, and that's not really a good look for me."

Kurt placated her quickly. "No, I would never throw you out, and the embroidery's nearly done, I can easily finish it myself now. I'm hungry too, and there's still loads of food in the fridge. Come upstairs, both of you!"

They heated up the left-overs in the microwave and nestled themselves on the couch, Santana in the middle.

They ate in silence, all three of them too hungry to focus on anything else than food for a while. They each had seconds, and after that dessert. When they were full, however, Santana turned to Blaine.

"So tell me about yourself, Fun Size," she drawled. "I know you can sing, and tell stories, and look after children, but apart from that, I don't know squat about you, and neither does Kurt, apparently. So give us the down-low on Blaine Warbler."

Blaine chuckled. "It's Blaine Devon Anderson, actually. Well, I'm 25 and I teach third grade at Hawthorne in Westerville. I have a brother who's much older than me and who works as an actor. You might have heard of him. Cooper Anderson."

"The guy from the Free Credit Rating commercial?" asked Santana. "Wow, what a gene pool. That guy is hot!"

"That jingle used to be my ringtone in high school," Kurt admitted. "I may or may not have had a tiny crush on Cooper Anderson back then."

Santana snorted. "Well, at least he's a better choice than Finn."

"Santana!" protested Kurt, blushing furiously now.

"What, you didn't tell Blaine about your scintillating love life yet?" asked Santana. "Kurtie here has never been with anyone before, did you know that, Fun Size?"

"Neither have I," said Blaine softly. "And yes, he told me."

_And clearly I know a little bit more than you about Kurt's love life, since you don't seem to know anything about Sebastian._

Santana gawked at Blaine. "You've never …? How is that even possible? You went to an all boys' school that was probably full of gays!"

"There were a fair few of them, yes," admitted Blaine. "None of them caught my eye, though."

_No way am I telling you about my high school crush, you can forget about that._

"And in college?" Santana probed.

"I never went out much," said Blaine.

Santana seemed speechless for a while. Then she leaned back and said: "Well, Porcelain, I have to hand it to you; you've managed to snag yourself a guy who suits you very well. He's just as boring as you are. You're probably the kind of people who'll save yourself for marriage. I dare say even Midget and Man Boobs have a more interesting sex life than you will ever have. Pity."

Kurt seemed to have a hard time keeping a straight face, but managed. Blaine didn't know whether to laugh his head off or feel offended, so he worked towards looking politely disinterested.

Santana grilled Blaine thoroughly, and he was deeply relieved when the shop bell clanged again, and Santana's wife made her appearance. Brittany was as unlike Santana as it was possible to be. She seemed thrilled to meet Blaine, citing that it was about time her favourite dolphin found another to make baby dolphins with. Blaine blinked a bit at the dolphin simile, but didn't question it, basking in the girl's clear approval and general sweetness. This was a friend of Kurt's he'd certainly get along with.

Kurt heated up some of the left-over Chinese food for Brittany, told her how much progress they had made on the dress, and asked her how Naomi and Greg's wedding dance was coming along.

Apparently, Greg was still stomping on Naomi's feet ever so often, but it was getting better the more they practised.

After Brittany's supper, the girls took their leave, with hugs all around.

Kurt took Blaine's hand and led him back to the couch.

"This is better than Skype," he remarked.

"So much better," sighed Blaine.

"Tina said she drove you here," continued Kurt.

"Yes, I figured I could take a taxi back," explained Blaine.

"No, you've already spent enough money for the day," said Kurt decisively. "You can stay over here tonight and ride back to Westerville with Tina tomorrow morning. I have a fully stocked guest room with an en suite bathroom, and I daresay I can find you a pair of pyjamas that will fit you."

"Oh," said Blaine stupidly, momentarily stunned. That was so much more than he'd hoped for.

Kurt's face fell at this less than enthusiastic response to his offer. "Unless … you'd rather go home, of course."

"No, no!" Blaine reassured him, taking his hands and squeezing them lightly. "I just … I wasn't expecting … I've never … I would very much like to stay. That gives me more time with you."

_And maybe we could kiss some more._

The thought made him smile broadly, and Kurt scooted a little closer and smiled back, his eyes a luminous electric blue with yellow sparks, and Blaine lost himself again in the beauty of those eyes, and leaned in for a kiss.

He hummed happily when his lips found Kurt's, and he put his arms around Kurt's waist and pulled Kurt on top of him. Much better.

He gently rubbed circles into Kurt's back, feeling him relax more and more, but also shiver a little. He looked for an afghan or a plaid blanket, but found none, so he sat up, took off his cardigan and draped it over Kurt, quickly snuggling under him again and reattaching his lips to Kurt's.

_I could stay like this forever …_


	27. Chapter 27: The Best Surprise

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Chapter 27: The Best Surprise

_"__If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."_ (J.R.R. Tolkien, _The Hobbit_)

The dress was taking shape faster than Kurt could have hoped. He'd worked out how to insert the hot pink train into the dress and he'd stitched together all the components. Now he had to make tiny button holes for the row of pearl buttons in the back, but first he wanted Naomi to try it on, so that he could see if it fit.

Naomi wriggled into the dress, and it fit like a glove. The colour was very becoming, too, and she squealed in delight when she saw herself in the mirror.

Kurt looked at the train the way it was now, then draped some sheer white chiffon over it. Would he have time to embroider the chiffon? Maybe not the entire train, but part of it, fanning out, with silver metallic thread.

He asked Naomi for her opinion, sketching what he had in mind, and she liked the idea. Could he manage it within the time limits? Well, yes, with a little help from his friends, he could.

The embroidery on the jacket was progressing nicely and he had plenty of taffeta roses in all tints of pink, even with Brittany flitting in and out of his shop in between dance lessons. As soon as the buttonholes and buttons were in place, he'd pin the roses onto the dress in the pattern he wanted and then let Rachel start sewing the roses onto the dress.

All in all, it was going very well, so it was with a pleased smile that he sent Naomi home to get ready for a dance lesson with her fiancé.

He had done all but the last button hole when the shop bell clanged again. He looked at the clock, and saw that it was just past five. Tina, at last!

He jogged to the shop and shouted "Tina!", engulfing her in a bear hug. It was so good to get to spend a whole day with his girlfriends, and he really appreciated their alacrity to help him out.

"Come on through to the back," he said, and then noticed Tina's sons. "Oh, you brought Junior and Henry?"

_Well, Quinn and Rachel's kids have come straight here from school as well. They can all keep each other company. Thankfully, they're all pretty well-behaved._

"I brought a babysitter too, don't worry," grinned Tina.

"A babysitter?" asked Kurt, surprise colouring his tone. Tina pointed to the counter, and when Kurt directed his gaze there, his heart leapt right out of his chest. "Blaine!"

_I loved your surprise at noon, but this is the best surprise yet!_

He ran straight into Blaine's arms, hugging him as if he hadn't seen him for decades. "I'm so glad you're here!"

Blaine chuckled.

_Okay, that child-like enthusiasm was probably a bit too much. Note to self: keep your flailing internal lest you scare him off._

"Can we take a coffee break together before you put me to work?" asked Tina.

_Good idea, I bet the other girls are parched and dying for a break as well. I should check whether I have some double-stuffed Oreos left. Store-bought cookies can't measure up to my home-made chocolate chip cookies, but let's face it; I haven't had the time to bake lately._

"Sure," said Kurt. "Let me go put a pot of coffee on."

He turned to leave, but behind him he heard Blaine's warm voice, laced with amusement, declaring there was no need for that.

Baffled, Kurt whipped his head around and saw that Blaine held a tray full of coffee cups. "You brought coffee?"

"And cheesecake," Blaine announced.

_Cheesecake? Who told you I love cheesecake? Seriously, are you for real? I think I need to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. You couldn't get any more perfect if you tried!_

And as much as Kurt wanted to tone down his rapture a little, his body betrayed him before his mind could catch up. One minute, he was gaping at Blaine in awe, the next his hands were taking the coffee tray and putting it back on the counter. Then he pulled Blaine closer and kissed him passionately.

_Hmmm, his lips are just as soft as I remember. Okay, Kurt, that's enough, don't get carried away. You still have work to do and don't forget that there are several curious girls in your workroom. Don't give Santana any ammunition or she'll be insufferable for the rest of the evening._

Kurt stepped away from Blaine, maintaining eye contact and smiling from ear to ear. "You are officially perfect," he declared solemnly.

Blaine blushed prettily and a slow smile unfurled on his face.

_Okay, he's not freaking out at my basically throwing myself at him, that's good._

A loud whoop and catcall roused Kurt from his distraction.

_Leave it to Santana to ruin the moment … Ah well, she's just happy for me, I guess._

"Oh, stuff it, Santana," said Kurt half-heartedly. He took the coffee tray and went back to the workroom.

_Okay, introductions are in order._

"Okay, everyone, this is my boyfriend Blaine," said Kurt, and listed the names of everyone present for Blaine's benefit.

Sarah and Toby both grinned like Cheshire cats when they saw Blaine, and Santana managed to both praise and offend Blaine in one off-hand comment.

_Why can't she behave herself just this once? Ah well, Blaine will get used to her soon enough …_

Blaine chuckled lightly.

_See, he's not offended. He's quite easy-going, really, stop worrying!_

When Kurt introduced Quinn, she gave Blaine a thorough once-over. Kurt bristled at her lingering eyes and blatant approval of Blaine's looks.

_Mine!_

"Let's go upstairs for our coffee break," he said curtly, leading the way.

Blaine gave Kurt first pick of the desserts he brought. Kurt took a piece of delicious-looking cheesecake and a cup of coffee and tuned out the conversation going on around him to enjoy his afternoon snack. Ah, bliss!

When he'd finished both the coffee and the cake at his leisure, he heard they were talking about Naomi, and he agreed wholeheartedly that she was sweet and worth going that extra mile for.

He described the dress to Blaine, as it had been and as he wanted it to be, and Blaine listened attentively, nodding his approval.

"Has she shown you what shoes she plans to wear with the dress?" asked Blaine. "And what accessories?"

Kurt shook his head.

"You might want to ask her to bring them along for the next fitting, so that you get the overall look and can make adjustments if necessary," advised Blaine.

_He's right. Why didn't I think of that?_

Blaine continued talking, something about the dress being Kurt's creation and the accessories having to enhance it instead of detracting, but Kurt wasn't listening closely. His mind was already overrun with possibilities. Why had he left his sketchpad downstairs?

He absently agreed with what Blaine was saying, taking a pencil stub out of his shirt pocket and drawing on a napkin. Definitely no hat, Naomi wasn't a hat person. But he could see her wearing long gloves, with the same pearl buttons as on the back of the dress, and her hair should stay gloriously loose but with a diadem or rose-shaped hair pins to keep the curls out of her face. And should she wear a veil or not? Let's try it both ways and see what looks best.

Roused from his fit of abstraction when chairs scraped and everyone took their plates and cups to the sink, he went downstairs again with the others. He sewed the last buttonhole, sewed all the buttons on and started pinning the taffeta roses onto the dress in the pattern he wanted. Then he handed the dress to Rachel for her to sew the roses on, and cut out a piece of sheer white chiffon the exact size of the train for himself to embroider with silver thread.

In the background, he could hear Blaine's soothing voice giving homework instructions. He loved the homey feel of that.

A bit later, Blaine came to him to ask what he could get the children for supper. Kurt thought quickly and decided on grilled cheese sandwiches, positive that he had cheese slices and soft bread in the kitchen.

"Give them some cherry tomatoes to go with it, and a glass of milk," Kurt told Blaine. "Not the skimmed milk you will find in the fridge, get the full-fat milk from the pantry. Children need whole milk. Want me to come upstairs with you and help you find everything?"

But Blaine shook his head and encouraged him to continue embroidering.

After the children's supper, it seemed to be play time. They all lay on their bellies, Blaine in the middle, and Blaine seemed to be drawing pictures and telling a story at the same time. It was about a small boy joining a band of pirates and finding his courage and his long-lost father in the process, and once again, Kurt found himself as captivated as the children. Thankfully, his embroidering did not suffer as a consequence, though he had a narrow escape twice when he noticed an impending mistake just in time.

When the story came to an end, Sarah begged for another one, but Michael Junior asked Blaine to sing, and everyone chimed in with Mikey and requested their favourite songs.

After a few songs, though, it was clear that Toby was on the verge of falling asleep, and Rachel excused herself to go home. She came to say goodbye to Kurt, and whispered: "Well, he'll certainly make an excellent dad for your children one day. He's a natural."

Kurt felt his blood rush to his cheeks, but he couldn't deny that the thought intrigued him. What would his children look like if he fathered one and Blaine another? Would they look like that beautiful pencil sketch Blaine had made?

Tina and her sons left too. She hugged Blaine and whispered something to him. Then she waved to Kurt and took off.

That left only Santana, who was waiting for Brittany to return from her last dance lesson, and she got defensive, expecting to be kicked out any minute.

Kurt reassured her that he was planning on her staying for supper, and they went upstairs to heat up some of the Chinese food that was left. They also finished off the desserts Blaine had brought.

When they were all pleasantly full and a bit drowsy, Santana sat up a little straighter on the couch, with a gleam in her eye that promised no good, and started grilling Blaine.

Kurt felt a bit apprehensive, but Blaine seemed to take it in stride, answering her questions as fast as she fired them off and never losing his smile.

Kurt learnt a lot about Blaine during that Spanish inquisition. Like that he did have a middle name - _yes, I believe my detective just acquired a name!_ - and that he had an older and very handsome brother Kurt used to crush on in high school.

Santana seemed satisfied with the answers she got, though perhaps a bit disappointed that there wasn't any juicy stuff about past relationships. Kurt was glad Blaine got Santana's seal of approval. All of his girlfriends seemed to like Blaine. That was one hurdle taken.

_I wonder what my dad will think of him …_

Brittany showed up just after nine, and Kurt heated up some Chinese food for her, too, and filled her in on all that they had accomplished that afternoon. She told him Naomi and Greg's wedding dance was shaping up nicely, though Greg still suffered from clumsy foot syndrome.

The girls left soon after, and at last, Kurt and Blaine were alone.

Kurt took Blaine's hand and led him back to the couch.

_Finally, I have you to myself!_

"This is better than Skype," he declared.

"So much better," Blaine agreed with a deep sigh.

A thought crossed Kurt's mind. "Tina said she drove you here."

"Yes," said Blaine. "I figured I could take a taxi back."

_You're planning on leaving so soon? Oh, no, no, no, you won't!_

Kurt mustered his best "no nonsense and no arguments" tone and stated: "No, you've already spent enough money for the day. You can stay over here tonight and ride back to Westerville with Tina tomorrow morning. I have a fully stocked guest room with an en suite bathroom, and I daresay I can find you a pair of pyjamas that will fit you."

Blaine looked at him with wide eyes. "Oh," he simply said.

Kurt's resolve crumpled. Had he been too forceful, dictating Blaine what to do? He backtracked quickly. "Unless … you'd rather go home, of course."

Understanding dawned in Blaine's eyes and he reached for Kurt's hands, giving them a gentle squeeze. "No, no!"

The words tumbled out of his mouth with a gratifying urgency, and he stumbled on: "I just … I wasn't expecting … I've never … I would very much like to stay. That gives me more time with you."

_Glad I haven't scared you off. And that's exactly why I want you to stay. It's annoying that we live two hours apart._

Blaine's face lit up with a beautiful smile, and Kurt felt drawn to him as a moth to a flame. He shuffled a bit closer, and when Blaine leaned in for a kiss, Kurt closed the distance eagerly. He closed his eyes, reacquainting himself with the velvety soft feel of Blaine's lips.

Blaine hummed softly, and then surprised Kurt by lying down and pulling Kurt on top of him, never breaking the kiss.

Blaine's hands drew circles onto Kurt's back, and that made Kurt both melt into a puddle because it was so tender and sweet, and shiver with how good it felt.

Blaine felt him shiver and sat up, looking around and then taking his cardigan off and wrapping it around Kurt. Then he buried himself under Kurt again and continued his caresses and kisses.

Kurt felt as though he could just float away with how happy and fulfilled he felt in that moment.

_You're wonderful. You're perfect. I'm so glad you're here with me. You make me feel complete._


	28. Chapter 28: Safe in Your Arms

**Author's Note: As usual, I'm offering a sneak peek to all of you lovely readers who take the time to write me a review. Thanks so much in advance!**

Chapter 28: Safe in Your Arms

"_You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams_." (Dr. Seuss)

They could have been lying on the couch for hours or for days and Kurt wouldn't have noticed the time passing. He was right where he wanted to be, with the man he wanted to be with, happily peppering his face and neck with kisses, playfully tugging at Blaine's ear with his teeth and swiping his tongue over Blaine's lips gently to demand entrance into his mouth.

After a while, however, Blaine started squirming unhappily, his face contorted as if he was in pain.

"What is it, honey?" asked Kurt.

_Am I too heavy lying on top of him? Should I sit up?_

"Ever since I slept on the sofa Monday night, I've had a bit of neck and back trouble," admitted Blaine, "And it's playing up again. Sorry …"

Blaine sounded genuinely apologetic.

"Don't worry about it," smiled Kurt. "I say it's time to go to bed. Come with me."

Kurt went straight to his walk-in closet and picked out a pair of pyjamas for Blaine. Then he led the way to the bathroom, where he found a spare toothbrush, still in its packaging, for Blaine.

"When do you have to get up tomorrow?" asked Kurt. "I could set my alarm clock for you."

"Tina usually leaves for Westerville at 6.30 AM," answered Blaine. "She doesn't live far from here, does she?"

"No," said Kurt, "The Changs live two blocks over, right next to the dance studio."

"Then I'd get up at 6 AM," said Blaine. "I don't need much time to get ready in the morning, and I usually take some breakfast to go. We can stop at the Lima Bean."

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "You do know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right?"

But Blaine had his phone out and was typing a text, presumably to Tina, and didn't pay attention to what Kurt was saying.

When Blaine tucked his phone away again, Kurt returned to the problem at hand.

"You can either take a hot shower to relax those neck and back muscles, or I could work the knots out for you," Kurt offered.

Blaine's eyes widened and he seemed momentarily speechless.

_Uh-oh … Was I being too forward?_

"Please don't freak out," Kurt pleaded. "I didn't mean … I'd do it over the clothes, of course, and I wouldn't touch anything other than your back and neck."

One corner of Blaine's mouth kicked up.

Emboldened, Kurt continued: "I used to give my dad a back rub when he came home stiff and sore after working the whole day, and I've given Rachel and Mercedes massages too, when we had sleep-overs in high school."

The other corner kicked up too.

Kurt blustered on: "I mean … It's not … You don't have to worry …"

And then he stopped talking altogether, because Blaine was laughing, a full-out belly laugh that startled Kurt but made his stomach flutter all the same with how beautiful that sound was and how much he wanted to hear that over and over again.

"That was …" Blaine gasped out between loud guffaws, "…priceless."

_What? You're making fun of me?_

Kurt didn't like being laughed at, much less by his boyfriend, and started ripping open the packaged toothbrush with quite unnecessary vigour, composing a few sarcastic retorts in his head he was ready to fling at Blaine as soon as he stopped cackling.

But Blaine forestalled him by sliding his arms around Kurt's waist and sweetly kissing him on the lips.

"I'm sorry, love, that was mean. I know you're not out to corrupt my virtue. I was just a bit taken aback by the offer and got caught up in the images my brain instantly supplied."

"Oh", said Kurt, melting into Blaine's gentle touch.

_Images? What images?_

"Of course, now you won't want to give me a back rub anymore, I'm sure," continued Blaine. "That's okay. I'll take a quick shower and head to your guest room."

Kurt considered for a moment, then said: "No, the offer still stands. If you tell me what you were thinking when I offered."

Blaine blushed but complied. "I was picturing lying face down on a bed, naked from the waist up, and you straddling me and running your hands all over me."

_Oh wow! Now I really want to do that. Can we do that? Pretty please?_

Kurt felt his blood rush in two different directions, and realised he was gaping at Blaine like a fish.

He closed his mouth and turned to open one of the bathroom cabinets. He took out a bottle of almond oil, grabbed a large towel and steered Blaine towards his bedroom.

Kurt took the comforter off the bed, spread the towel open over the sheets and turned to Blaine.

"If … If you're up for it," Kurt hesitated, "I'd like to do just what you imagined."

Blaine's eyes went wide again. Then he beamed. He toed off his shoes, took off his shirt and undershirt at record speed and clambered onto the bed, lying down on his stomach with a sigh.

"Eager, are we?" chuckled Kurt. "I seem to remember you love head rubs, too. Is that the way to your heart, Mr Anderson?"

Blaine didn't speak. He just turned on his side, giving Kurt come-hither eyes and slowly crooking his finger to beckon him.

Kurt's mouth went dry, and everything he was planning to say flew right out of his head. He swallowed.

_Wow, he's so unbelievably gorgeous like this._

Blaine's eyes reminded Kurt of molten lava, and his lashes - long, luxurious and incredibly distracting - made Kurt wonder what they would feel like on his skin.

_Okay, back rub. Right._

He climbed onto the bed, took the cap off of the bottle of oil and put both the cap and the bottle on his nightstand. Then he tentatively positioned himself on top of Blaine, who grunted in pain when Kurt sat down on his back.

"Sorry, sorry!" chanted Kurt. He quickly scooted back a little, so that his weight was on Blaine's hips instead of his lower back.

"Better?" he asked.

"Hmmm," hummed Blaine.

"I'll take that as a yes," smiled Kurt.

_Just look at you. The word sexy doesn't even cut it. One day, I want to kiss every inch of you. But for now, I'm thrilled to get to touch your bare skin._

He poured some oil into the palm of his hand and warmed it up a little before spreading it over Blaine's back.

He kneaded Blaine's neck and shoulders, really digging in his fingers to find the nerve centres and remove all the knots. When Blaine's shoulders finally sagged in relaxation, he went lower, gently at first, drawing big figure eights, his hands at opposite sides so that he never left any part of Blaine's back unattended. Then, his hands flat and hard against Blaine's skin, he travelled up and down his spine, really exerting pressure and gradually widening it out, paying special attention to the lower back.

Blaine was incredibly responsive to his touch, alternately sighing and moaning in contentment and grunting when Kurt got to a painful knotted muscle. When Blaine's lower back was knot-free at last, his body went completely pliant under Kurt's caresses, and his breathing evened out.

"Are you falling asleep on me again?" asked Kurt after a while.

He got no answer, and when he scooted off Blaine's back and checked on him, Blaine's eyes were closed, his thick black lashes fanning his cheeks, his mouth relaxed, with his lips slightly parted.

_I guess that answers my question … Aw, he looks so cute when he's asleep._

Kurt fetched another towel and gently patted Blaine's back dry. Then he spread the comforter over Blaine and went back to the bathroom for his evening ablutions.

He set his alarm for 6 AM and got into bed, gently pushing Blaine, who was lying spread-eagled in the middle, a bit to the side. Blaine didn't wake, but latched onto him instinctively, slinging his arm around Kurt's waist and pulling him closer until they were spooning.

Kurt thrilled to Blaine's possessive touch and snuggled contentedly into his embrace, too keyed up to sleep but so glad with how the day had gone.

After a while, Blaine's warm closeness and soft breathing lulled Kurt to sleep, his last conscious thought "_I could get used to this"._


	29. Chapter 29: Floating on Air

**Author's Note: You know the drill ... If you want a sneak peek at the next chapter, write me a review :) Thanks so much in advance, I love hearing from you!**

Chapter 29: Floating on Air

"_Like before, it was as if the touch of his skin, his lips, his hands, was sinking right through my smooth, hard skin and into my new bones. To the very core of my body._" (Stephenie Meyer, _Breaking Dawn_)

Blaine winced. As much as he loved cuddling up to Kurt and kissing him, his neck and back were protesting violently, warning him not to attempt falling asleep on the couch again, and admonishing him to please get up and move this to a comfortable bed.

Kurt picked up on his discomfort quickly. "What is it, honey?"

Blaine preened at the term of endearment. He explained that his back and neck were troubling him, still stiff from Monday night.

Kurt smiled and announced that it was bedtime. He got up from the couch and held out his hand to help up Blaine too. He fetched some sleepwear for Blaine from his closet and then they went to the bathroom together.

Kurt found Blaine a new toothbrush and a fresh towel, and discussed with him when they would have to get up the following morning.

Blaine knew that Tina and her sons usually left for Westerville at 6.30 AM, and she lived close to Kurt's place, so he thought 6 AM would be early enough.

_Oh! Tina! I've got to text her and ask her if I can catch a ride back to Westerville with her tomorrow morning!_

**To Tay-Tay:**

Tay-Tay, sweetie, can I ride back to Westerville with you and the boys tomorrow morning?

**To Blaine_Warbler:**

Oooh, Blainey Days! Are you staying the night at Kurt's?

**To Blaine_Warbler:**

Yes, of course you can come with us, honey. We always love your company.

**To Blaine_Warbler:**

Be there bright and early at 6.30 AM! Nighty-night xxx

**To Tay-Tay:**

I'll be there :-) Sweet dreams xxx

When Blaine tucked his phone away again, Kurt turned to him and said: "You can either take a hot shower to relax those neck and back muscles, or I could work the knots out for you."

_Seriously? You'd give me a massage? Straddle me and run your hands all over my bare skin? Oh, yes please!_

Kurt seemed to take Blaine's momentary distraction as hesitation and maybe even disapproval. He hastened to explain himself further, assuring Blaine that it wasn't a sexual offer by any means, that he gave this kind of back rubs to his dad and his girlfriends.

_As if I'd mind if you wanted to jump my bones, baby._

As Kurt got increasingly more flustered, Blaine felt a helpless laugh bubbling up in the pit of his stomach, and suddenly he couldn't keep it in any longer, clutching his sides and wiping away tears of mirth.

Kurt shut up abruptly and stared at Blaine, perplexed, which only made him laugh harder.

"That was …" Blaine gasped out, breathless with laughter, "…priceless."

Kurt's brows knitted together ominously, and he opened the package that held Blaine's new toothbrush with jerky angry movements, clearly incensed.

_Uh-oh. Don't be mad at me please …_

Blaine snaked his arms around Kurt's waist and kissed him lingeringly until the anger disappeared from his eyes. Then he apologised handsomely, explaining that Kurt had surprised him by offering a back rub and that the very mention of it had conjured up all sorts of indecent thoughts.

_He doesn't say anything. Is he still mad at me?_

"Of course, now you won't want to give me a back rub anymore, I'm sure," continued Blaine. "That's okay. I'll take a quick shower and head to your guest room."

Kurt seemed to think it over, then said: "No, the offer still stands. If you tell me what you were thinking when I offered."

Blaine felt his cheeks heat up but told Kurt honestly what he'd been picturing.

Kurt seemed intrigued, his mouth falling open into a perfect O, his breath coming a little faster and his face flushing.

_He clearly likes the vision I've painted for him. Does that mean he'd agree to do the massage my way? I really want to feel his hands on my skin._

Kurt took a moment to come back to reality. Then he gathered some supplies and tugged Blaine along to one of the bedrooms, where he stripped the bed and laid a towel on it.

When the preparations were complete, he turned to Blaine, twisting his fingers nervously.

"If … If you're up for it," Kurt hesitated, his voice impossibly high but eager, "I'd like to do just what you imagined."

_Oh, yes!_

Blaine grinned from ear to ear and only just managed to repress the urge to pump his fist into the air in triumph, electing instead to get undressed as fast as he could. His cardigan was already off. That left just his shoes, his shirt and his undershirt. As soon as those articles of clothing were off, he pretty much dived onto the bed, and sighed in happy anticipation. He remembered Kurt gently massaging his head on Monday. This was going to be so much better still …

"Eager, are we?" chuckled Kurt. "I seem to remember you love head rubs, too. Is that the way to your heart, Mr Anderson?"

_Teasing, are we? Well, two can play that game …_

Blaine turned on his side, giving Kurt the most smouldering look and devilish smile he could pull off, and crooked his index finger in a 'come here' gesture.

It worked like a charm. Kurt's smiled vanished instantly. His eyes grew larger and darker, until they resembled a twilit sky, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down, drawing Blaine's attention to the tempting creamy expanse of his neck.

_Come here, baby. Touch me. I'm all yours._

Kurt hesitated another while, gazing deep into Blaine's eyes, seemingly captivated. Then he climbed onto the bed. Blaine resumed his original position, his head on his arms and his eyes following Kurt's every move.

Kurt had brought some massage oil that smelled lovely and sweet as soon as he took the cap off the bottle.

Then he disappeared from Blaine's view, and a moment later Blaine couldn't help protesting when Kurt put all of his weight on Blaine's lower back, causing the dull pain he'd felt there since Monday to flare up with a vengeance.

Kurt started, apologised and moved back until he was straddling Blaine's hips instead. That felt a lot better, and Blaine relaxed again.

He felt Kurt spreading the sweet-smelling oil evenly over his back with a feather-light touch that made him shiver a little.

Then Kurt moved his hands to Blaine's neck and shoulders, and he didn't hold back, finding all the sore spots that bothered Blaine and making the pain and the stiffness disappear with his nimble fingers.

When his neck was a pain-free zone at last, Kurt went lower, working the oil into the skin of Blaine's back gently, his hands making big loops like they were driving an F1 circuit. Gradually, Kurt increased the pressure, working out all the knots he found, especially in Blaine's lower back, and paying attention to every last inch of his skin.

Blaine was in heaven. Seriously, he couldn't remember if he'd ever felt this good in his entire life. The pain he'd experienced for days was all gone, and now he felt so light and unwound and cared for and totally blissed out that it seemed like he was floating on air.

Every touch of Kurt's brought him closer to a trance-like state, managing no more than an occasional sigh or moan at the incredible sensation of Kurt's hands caressing his skin.

_I love how soft your hands are. Almost as soft as your lips._

And that's how Blaine slowly drifted off to sleep, with thoughts of Kurt's lips in the places his hands had been roaming, and Blaine's hands running all over Kurt.

_Ah, bliss!_


	30. Chapter 30: Good Morning

**Author's Note: Wow, nearly a hundred reviews. Thank you so much for your feedback, suggestions, love and encouragement! I'm still offering my sneak peek bribe to coax you to into sending me a review, but as we're approaching review number 100, I'm going to add a little extra. Whoever sends me the 100th review, gets to request a one-shot from me. In the Weave Your Magic verse or another verse, with Klaine or another pairing, it's your choice. Reminder: please log in to review, otherwise I can't send you a private message.**

Chapter 30: Good Morning

"… _but she did sleep in the end, briefly, and woke up in wonderment because she understood now what people meant when they said: 'She slept with him.' That it was part of the act of love, this sharing of oblivion_." (Eva Ibbotson, _The Morning Gift_)

Blaine was woken up in the morning by his bladder. It was full to bursting point and clearly not in the mood to be kept waiting for relief any longer. He didn't feel like getting up, though. The bed was so warm and cosy and he'd been having a wonderful dream. He could still feel it beckoning him back in from the edges of his subconscious, and he knew he would fall straight back into it as soon as sleep overtook him again.

He'd dreamt about Kurt. That much he knew. They had been in bed together, just like they were now … Wait … What?

Blaine opened his eyes and blinked a few times to clear his head.

Yes, he hadn't been hallucinating just now. Kurt was in bed with him, sleeping peacefully tucked into his side. Blaine was lying on his back, holding Kurt around the waist, and Kurt had his head on Blaine's chest, an arm slung over it, and one of his legs was slotted between Blaine's.

It felt so good and so instantly right that Blaine would have been content to stay like that for days on end. His bladder had other ideas, though, urging him to get up and find a bathroom, stat!

He gently extricated himself from Kurt's embrace, tucked him back in carefully so that he wouldn't get cold, and padded off to the bathroom as silently as he could, picking his shirt off the floor on his way out.

He checked his watch and saw that it was nearly 5.30 AM. No use in going back to sleep then. He brushed his teeth and washed his face, putting his shirt on for warmth but not buttoning it up, as he still had to shower. He found his cardigan on the back of the couch and put that on too. Then he went to the kitchen to prepare some blueberry pancake batter, press oranges for fresh juice and make coffee.

_With beans? Really, Kurt? Why do you go to all the trouble of grinding coffee beans every day if you can use an espresso machine to get a far superior result in a fraction of that time?_

In spite of his scepticism, though, he enjoyed grinding the beans, the powerful aroma coming free a more than adequate reward for the effort it took.

When the coffee had finally dripped through, he poured himself a cup and took a tentative sip. His eyebrows flew up in surprised appreciation.

_Oh, so THAT's why you make coffee the old-fashioned way. This is so good!_

He finished his cup of coffee and made the pancakes, dividing them over two plates and swirling a liberal amount of maple syrup on top.

He found a tray in one of the top cabinets, though he had to climb half onto the counter to grab it, and put the two plates onto it, with two glasses of orange juice, two cups of coffee and the necessary cutlery. No room for anything else. If Kurt took cream or sugar in his coffee, he'd come and fetch it later, Blaine decided.

He checked his watch again. Seven minutes to six. Perfect. He took the tray to the bedroom, put it on the nightstand, took his cardigan and shirt back off and slid under the covers, snuggling up to Kurt's sleep-warm body.

Kurt started, shivering violently. He grumbled and tried to push Blaine away, but Blaine only snuggled in closer, trailing soft kisses from the nape of Kurt's neck to his shoulder. Next, he let his lips travel over Kurt's jaw, up, up, up until he reached Kurt's earlobe and gently nibbled it.

Kurt sighed softly, and Blaine could feel him waking up, little by little. His pliant body became tauter, more alert. His heart rate sped up. His eyelashes fluttered, and after a while he opened his eyes, though Blaine could tell he wasn't fully awake yet. Not a morning person then. Duly noted.

"Wha… What time is it?" Kurt asked groggily.

"Good morning, sweetheart. It's nearly six o'clock," answered Blaine, cupping Kurt's face with both hands and capturing his lips sweetly.

Kurt kissed him back for a second, then recoiled in horror, seeming much more awake all of a sudden. "Blaine! I haven't even brushed my teeth yet! That's just revolting! I have morning breath!"

Kurt sat up, threw the comforter off and was about to get off the bed when Blaine pulled him back by the waist. "Hey, hey, none of that, please. I want some cuddles and kisses in bed before we both regrettably have to get up and leave for work, and I don't care about morning breath in the least. You taste just fine to me."

Blaine took the tray and deposited it carefully onto the bed. "If it helps, though, I have both coffee and orange juice here. You can drink some of that and give your breath a different flavour."

Kurt looked at the tray, and then back at Blaine, clearly speechless.

"Coffee? Juice?" Blaine asked.

Kurt swallowed. "You … You made me breakfast?"

"I made us breakfast, yes," said Blaine. "I woke up half an hour ago and figured I might as well make myself useful."

Kurt blinked at him owlishly, looking adorably sleep-mussed, flushed and still disoriented. Then, when it seemed to sink in, he repeated: "You made me breakfast."

"Yes," Blaine chuckled, pecking him on the nose.

A beautiful smile dawned on Kurt's lips, lighting up his features like a sunrise, and he took Blaine's face in both hands and kissed him soundly. "Thank you. You're amazing."

They ate the pancakes in companionable silence, punctuated with an occasional kiss or caress, enjoying this moment together.

Then Blaine called dibs on the shower, since he had to leave soon. He showered, dressed and arranged his hair as fast as he could, since he hadn't planned on eating breakfast and was short on time.

He kissed Kurt goodbye, put his coat and shoes on and was halfway down the stairs to the shop when he felt arms envelop him from behind and lips on his neck, his ear, his cheek. He turned around, wrapped his arms around Kurt and kissed him thoroughly and lingeringly. Then he reluctantly let go and said: "Sorry, love, but if I don't leave now, Tina will drive to Westerville without me."

Kurt pouted and Blaine leaned in to kiss the pout away, then turned around and sped off with a cheery "Bye honey, have a nice day!"

_Wouldn't I like every morning to be like this … I feel so at home with Kurt already._

K&B

Blaine arrived at Tina's place with three minutes to spare, and helped bundle the children up in their coats, hats, scarves and gloves.

"Well?" asked Tina as she was strapping Michael Junior into his car seat, while Blaine was doing the same for Henry.

She scoffed at the innocent look Blaine gave her.

"Don't pretend nothing happened," she insisted. "You staid the night, so there must be something juicy you can tell me."

Blaine got into the passenger seat and buckled up, smiling to himself.

Tina put her hands on her hips. "If you're planning on being secretive, you can get out of my car and find some other means of transport."

_I guess Tina isn't much of a morning person either …_

Blaine held his hands up in a placating gesture. "Hey, hey, no need to get all riled up. I was just deciding where to start the story."

He told Tina about Santana grilling him after supper.

"She takes some getting used to," nodded Tina, "But she's a fierce and loyal friend once you have her on your side."

Then he told her about the kissing, the backrub, waking up next to Kurt and making him breakfast.

"Wow," she sighed. "Those days are long gone for Mike and me. Don't get me wrong, I love him and we suit each other perfectly, but sometimes I miss those sweet gestures you do for Kurt. We had that in the beginning, too, but now, we tend to take each other too much for granted, I guess. Maybe I should make more of an effort. Try and rekindle the flame. You and Kurt can be my inspiration."

"Happy to be of service, ma'am," smiled Blaine, as he doffed an imaginary hat.

Tina looked at him, her eyes soft. "It's lovely to see you so happy, Bling-Bling. You've always put on a brave face, but I know it must have stung to be the odd man out everywhere. All your friends are in a relationship and all your colleagues as well. I'm so glad you two lonely souls have found your match now. Kurt has been alone and unhappy for a long time, too. He could have had a boyfriend before, if he'd wanted to, but he's so scared. He doesn't trust easily. So whatever you do, never lie to him. Even about silly little things. Never lie, because he won't forgive nor forget and it will ruin your relationship."

Blaine nodded thoughtfully. "I won't. I promise."

"And don't push him to open up to you," advised Tina. "He's been through a lot, and he doesn't like to relive his bad memories. If he tells you of his own accord, so much the better, but don't force him, okay?"

Blaine hummed his assent. He took his phone out and composed a message:

**To: Kurt Hummel**

Thanks for letting me stay the night. I had a lovely time.

**To: Kurt Hummel**

Good luck with the dress today. Let me know how you're getting on.

**To: Kurt Hummel**

And did I thank you for the back rub yet? It was amazing!

**To: Kurt Hummel**

You're a miracle worker. The pain is entirely gone.

**To: Kurt Hummel**

So thank you very much! Let me know if I can repay the favour sometime.

**To: Kurt Hummel**

See you on Skype tonight? xoxo


	31. Chapter 31: Breakfast in Bed

**Author's Note: I wanted this chapter to be longer, but I didn't have much time to write, sorry, so this will have to do. We haven't reached 100 reviews yet, so my offer still stands: be my 100th reviewer and get the chance to commission a one-shot from me (this verse or another, Klaine or another ship, you tell me!). Of course, I also offer my usual sneak peek bribe :) **

Chapter 31: Breakfast in Bed

"_And then Joe came in and said, morning all, and he sat down, pulling Tess's plate over, tucking into her breakfast, mashing the egg onto the toast and taking hearty swigs of her tea._

_'__Morning,' she said, trying not to let a grin spoil her mock indignation_." (Freya North, _Secrets_)

_Kurt was lying on a blanket in Central Park, soaking up the sun. He'd brought Blaine here for a picnic, and now, after having consumed a spread worthy of a three-star restaurant, they were both dozing off. Suddenly, a cold breeze chilled Kurt to the bone, and was that a bottle of chilled water against his leg? He tried to roll away, but the cold enveloped him. And then he felt lips on his neck, his shoulder, his cheek, his ear. Blaine? Why was he so cold? Had he gone swimming in the Lasker Pool?_

Kurt shivered and sighed, making a supreme effort to open his eyes. He wasn't in Central Park and there wasn't any sun. He was in his bedroom, and it was dark. The only light came from the living room and kitchen area. Blaine was lying next to him and was pressing lazy kisses everywhere he could reach. His body was slowly warming up now that it was pressed against Kurt's, but it still made Kurt's skin erupt in goose bumps, and not in a nice way. However, the loving smile Blaine sent his way made his stomach flutter and made contentment steal over him again.

"Wha… What time is it?" asked Kurt, suppressing a yawn.

It couldn't be six o'clock already, could it? Apparently, it could, and it was, according to a bright and chipper Blaine, who pulled him in close and kissed him on the lips.

_How can he be so alert and awake and cheerful so early in the morning? And how can it be morning already? I don't want Blaine to leave yet, we haven't had enough time together. Hmm, this is nice!_

And then his brain caught up with his body, and he pulled away from the kiss as fast as he could, clapping a hand over his mouth and lamenting the fact that he hadn't had time to brush his teeth yet and that he must have horrible morning breath.

He was just about to sprint off to the bathroom when Blaine grabbed him by the waist to keep him in bed and requested cuddles and kisses before he had to leave.

Blaine firmly denied that Kurt's mouth tasted odd, but offered him some coffee or juice to drink if that made him feel better.

_Wait … What? Come to think of it, it does smell like coffee in here._

Kurt located the smell to a tray on his bed. It held two cups of coffee, two glasses of orange juice, and two plates of pancakes. Had Blaine made all of this?

Apparently, he had. That explained why Blaine had felt so cold when he got back into bed.

_Wow. And just when I thought Blaine couldn't get any more perfect …_

Blaine chuckled at Kurt's half-asleep statements, lightly kissing him on the nose.

His tenderness and thoughtfulness made Kurt smile radiantly and kiss Blaine in thanks.

_What a way to wake up! Who'd have thought I'd ever be glad to be woken at six in the morning? _

They both sat Indian-style on the bed and enjoyed their food, leaning towards each other every now and then to steal a kiss or trail their fingers over the other's arm or leg.

Kurt was impressed by the breakfast Blaine had put together. The orange juice was clearly freshly pressed, the coffee wasn't his usual instant quick-fix, but made from freshly ground coffee beans, the kind that he kept in one of his bottom cabinets for weekends or company or festive occasions, and the pancakes were made to perfection and had blueberries in them.

He wasn't used to being nurtured and cared for like this. His mom had died when he was eight. After that, he'd practically grown up on a film set. He lived with his uncle and aunt, and though they were kind and loving, they worked crazy hours and raised Kurt to be independent. They never took the time to cook, not even on weekends, preferring to dine out or order in.

He liked cooking, though, having fond memories of sitting on the counter next to his mom while she prepared dinner, so he taught himself, with a little help from cooking programmes on television. He quickly picked up other useful skills as well: housecleaning because he was a neat freak and the hired help was not, and laundry and ironing because he didn't want anyone to ruin his designer clothes.

When he moved back to Lima, his dad proved to be a lousy cook, so he took over the kitchen until Carole and Finn moved in, and even then he cooked more often than Carole.

He could take care of himself, and he did, but he couldn't help but thrill to Blaine's pampering. It gave him such a warm feeling inside.

All too soon, their plates and cups were empty and Blaine headed for the shower. Kurt put the tray on his nightstand and lay back down on the bed with a dreamy smile on his face, which grew even broader when he realised the pillow smelled like Blaine.

Fifteen minutes later, Blaine was fully dressed and headed out after a last kiss. Kurt watched him go down the stairs, and got the sudden craving to have Blaine in his arms one last time before he left, so he ran down taking two stairs at a time, threw his arms around Blaine and trailed a string of kisses from his neck to his ear.

Blaine turned around, hugged him back and kissed him deeply. Then he let Kurt go with regret in his eyes and said he had to run or else he'd be late.

Kurt felt his bottom lip protrude of its own accord. Blaine noticed and tenderly kissed his pout away. Then he ran off with a wave, shouting "Bye honey, have a nice day!" for all the world as if they were married and this was their daily morning ritual.

_Maybe someday. It's scary that last week I didn't even know Blaine yet, and now I can already picture our happily ever after. He suits me so well._

Kurt went back upstairs and got ready for the day, humming happily in spite of the early hour.

When he was combing his hair, he heard his phone chime, and went to fetch it. He had six messages from Blaine.

**From: Blaine Anderson**

Thanks for letting me stay the night. I had a lovely time.

_So did I … You can stay over any time you like, honey._

**From: Blaine Anderson**

Good luck with the dress today. Let me know how you're getting on.

_Thanks for reminding me to stop daydreaming and get on with my work. I needed that._

**To: Kurt Hummel**

And did I thank you for the back rub yet? It was amazing!

_It sure was … I would never have guessed you'd have such an incredible toned body under that dapper façade of yours._

**To: Kurt Hummel**

You're a miracle worker. The pain is entirely gone.

_That's good, I guess, though I wouldn't have minded giving it another go._

**To: Kurt Hummel**

So thank you very much! Let me know if I can repay the favour sometime.

_I'll hold you to that!_

**To: Kurt Hummel**

See you on Skype tonight? xoxo

_Not planning on coming to see me again then? Well, I suppose you have lessons to prepare … Still, Skyping is better than nothing. And it's almost weekend. Aaargh, it's almost weekend! Get your lazy ass to the workroom and start working on Naomi's dress!_

He hurried downstairs, composing a few texts to answer Blaine.

**To: Blaine Anderson**

You're welcome here anytime. Glad your back feels better.

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Thanks for all the lovely food and your delightful company.

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Skype date at 9 PM? See you then! xoxo


	32. Chapter 32: Invitations

**Author's Note: The 100th reviewer turned out to be Klainescolfer :-) Congratulations, and be sure to give me a prompt for a one-shot! Thank you to all the other reviewers as well, and to all you 'silent' readers: if you send me a review, you'll get a sneak peek at the next chapter. Isn't that a nice incentive?**

Chapter 32: Invitations

"'_Off we go to prison camp!' yelled Victoria. 'Oh, and listen, don't expect Ernst for lunch. He's been invited to our place. Mom is staying at home today; she wants to meet the man of my life._'" (Susie Morgenstern, _Lettres d'amour de 0 à 10_, my own translation, as I'm not sure this book exists in English)

Kurt was feeling confident that the dress would be ready in time. The embroidery on the chiffon was done and he was now stitching it onto the hot pink train, while Rachel, who had come in to continue sewing the roses onto the lower part, was heating up lasagne Kurt had plucked out of his freezer for lunch.

Santana had just dropped in and promised to embroider some more roses on the jacket if Kurt provided food first for her and Brittany, who'd arrive as soon as her dance lesson was over. So Kurt ran up the stairs to add some soup and garlic bread to the menu, so as to stretch it to four people.

Lunch was as loud and crazy and enjoyable as the Hudmel's Friday Dinners, for Carole had heard from Rachel about Kurt redoing the wedding dress and, fearing her stepson would work non-stop and forget to eat, came to the shop with Burt and Finn in tow, carrying a chicken casserole.

And of course Blaine was the main conversation topic. How he'd turned up out of the blue yesterday, bringing coffee and dessert and sweeping Kurt off his feet, according to Santana. How sweet and pretty he was and how happy he made Kurt, according to Brittany. How handsome and charming he was, and how well he sang, according to Rachel.

Finn scowled with all his might as Rachel went into raptures about Blaine and seemed to resolve then and there to hate Kurt's boyfriend forever more.

Burt wore a matching scowl, muttering that he didn't care for smarmy pretty boys and asking Kurt why he hadn't mentioned this boyfriend of his before. "Bring him to dinner at our place tomorrow. If you have a boyfriend, I want to meet him and tell him to treat you right."

"Yeah, me too," nodded Finn, cracking his knuckles ominously. That earned him a glare from both Rachel and Kurt.

Kurt hurried to placate his dad by saying that it was a very recent development, and that he had been too preoccupied with work to call or stop by, but that he had intended to tell him about Blaine as soon as possible.

_I hadn't planned for Blaine to 'meet the parents' yet, though. Will he be up for it? Finn had better behave himself though, or he'll regret it. I won't let him mess with Blaine._

Carole tactfully changed the topic to the wedding dress Kurt was working on, and went downstairs with Kurt to the workroom to gush over it.

Naomi turned up just as the Hudmels were leaving, and Carole told Burt she wanted to stay until she'd seen Naomi try the dress on. She squealed in delight when she saw the bride-to-be in all her glory, and both Naomi and Kurt were very pleased as well with the revamped dress, Kurt thinking _That's more like it_.

Kurt had texted Naomi to ask her to bring her wedding shoes and other accessories. She brought only the shoes, not having decided on anything else, and gave Kurt free rein. The shoes, thankfully, had been chosen by her mother, and suited the dress perfectly, so no worries there.

Kurt explained what accessories he had in mind: the long gloves he'd already drawn and cut the fabric for, and either a diadem or hair pins, and maybe a veil?

Naomi vetoed the veil, and said she liked the hair pin option best, but where would she get the rose-shaped pins at such short notice?

Kurt's face lit up, and he called Brittany. "Britt, sweetie, could you come here for a moment?"

He explained the hairpin idea to Brittany, and she nodded excitedly and ran to the door. "Just let me go fetch my materials. I'll be right back!"

Naomi looked at Kurt, nonplussed. He grinned at her. "Brittany loves to make jewellery. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, brooches and hair pins. She makes it all herself, and it looks gorgeous. She has a whole assortment of wire, charms, gemstones and beads that she works with. She'll be making these roses with silver-plated craft wire and white and pale pink seed beads, and then it's quite easy to attach them to any hair pins you have at home, with a loop you can tighten. It's going to be lovely. If you want, you can help make them, she'll teach you."

Brittany returned with her supplies and minutes later, she was showing Naomi how to thread the tiny beads onto the wire and how to make the wire loops. By the time Brittany had to leave for her next dance lesson, Naomi had gotten the hang of it and continued all by herself.

Santana left when the jacket was fully embroidered, scoffing at Kurt when he hugged her fiercely and said he would be forever in her debt.

Before Santana left, though, Naomi invited both her and Brittany to the wedding. "I owe you so much, all of you, so I want everyone who helped me out to come. So Rachel, you too. And you, Kurt. And tell Quinn and Tina that they're invited as well, will you? And you can bring a plus one. Don't worry, I already told my mom, and she's perfectly okay with it. There are going to be more than three hundred guests anyway, a few more or less won't make much difference."

Rachel went to fetch her children at around 3 PM, and Kurt thanked her profusely and assured her he could manage without her help from now on. The jacket was done, as were the gloves, and the dress only needed a few finishing touches.

As soon as she had constructed enough wire roses for the hair pins, Naomi left as well, citing another dance lesson and some much-needed quality time with her fiancé before he left for his bachelor party. It wasn't just a party but an entire biker trip, and he would be leaving later that night and wouldn't be back until Saturday morning. Her own bachelorette party was being organised by her sisters, and was sure to be meticulously planned and perfect in every way but positively boring.

Naomi was to come back to the shop the next day to fetch the finished dress, jacket and accessories, as it wouldn't do for the groom to see his bride's apparel before the wedding ceremony. She promised to bring official wedding invitations for Kurt and the whole gang.

Kurt continued working until 8.30 PM. Then he went upstairs, made himself a sandwich and ate it with the soup left over from lunch. He took his laptop with him to the couch, where he put the TV on and zapped through channels until he found a 'Four Weddings' episode he hadn't seen before, and watched it until it was nearly nine o'clock. He logged in on Skype and waited for Blaine to call him, which he did moments later.

Kurt was glad to see his boyfriend again. Blaine looked tired after his school day, but his smile was bright and so warm that it felt like a caress.

"Hey sweetie," said Kurt.

"Hey honey," answered Blaine. "How's the dress coming on?"

"Oh, fantastic," Kurt assured him. "It's as good as finished."

He explained about the day's work and told him about his parents coming for lunch unexpectedly.

"And that reminds me," Kurt continued. "My dad wants you to come to dinner at his place tomorrow night. Our Friday dinners are a tradition. Finn and his family will be there as well, and everyone wants to meet you. I'm warning you though. My dad's very protective of me and might be kind of gruff and unwelcoming at first, and Finn's mad at you because Rachel sang your praises at lunch."

"I see …" Blaine looked uncertain and a bit scared for a moment, and then grinned. "I'm looking forward to it. What would your stepmother prefer: flowers or chocolate?"

Kurt chuckled. "You always come bearing gifts, don't you? I'd go with the flowers, if I were you. Carole loves warm colours, so an autumn bouquet would be just the thing."

"Duly noted," said Blaine. "Wow. Meeting the parents already."

"I know," sighed Kurt. "I thought exactly the same thing when my dad brought it up. But then I said to myself, well, better to get it over with. If my crazy family scares you off, better now than in six months or so."

"Not a chance," declared Blaine. "I survived Santana, didn't I? So I'm sure I can deal with whatever Burt and Finn throw at me. And I'm in this for the long haul, so I don't mind meeting your family straight off the bat. I'll get used to them soon enough, and if they don't like me straightaway, it will grow."

Kurt nodded. "And I have a second invitation to extend to you. Naomi, the girl I'm making this dress for, has invited me and my helpers to her wedding, and we get to bring a guest. So, would you please accompany me on Saturday?"

Blaine grinned from ear to ear. "I love weddings. Yes, I'll come with you, gladly. The ceremony and the reception take place in a hotel not very far from where I live, so you can come to my apartment first, and we can walk to the venue together."

"Okay," agreed Kurt. "Do you have a tux?"

Blaine nodded. "A black one, with a burgundy bowtie."

"That sounds perfect," approved Kurt. "Okay, I can see you're tired, so I won't keep you up. Let's just finalize our plans for tomorrow, and then say goodnight. Usually, Friday night dinner is at 7 PM, so as to not make it too late for the children. So if you were at my place at 6.30 PM, that would be perfect."

"Six thirty," Blaine repeated. "I'll be there."

"Alright, sweetie," said Kurt. "Sweet dreams and I'll see you tomorrow."

_I so want to kiss you right now. It's torture to see you without being able to touch you._

"Sweet dreams, honey," answered Blaine, and sent Kurt an air kiss and a breath-taking smile.

The screen went black, and Kurt sighed. It was frustrating to have a boyfriend who lived two hours away. He took his phone and composed a few texts.

**To: Blaine Anderson**

This is going to sound weird, but I'm going to have a hard time falling asleep without you.

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Now that I've slept in your arms once, I kind of always want to. Your snuggling is addictive :-)

**To: Blaine Anderson**

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Sweet dreams xxx


	33. Chapter 33: Head in the Clouds

**Author's Note: As you all know, I promised a one-shot to my 100th reviewer, Klainescolfer. In the meantime, I have written and posted this one-shot. It's called Reading between the Lines, and it belongs to the same verse as 'Weave Your Magic', but it's set in the future, and it's even fluffier than this story :) Please check it out and let me know what you think :) Okay, so, this new chapter is short, and so will the next one be, I'm afraid. My hubby takes exception to me spending large amounts of time behind my computer to write stories on holidays, and expects me to spend the day with my family instead ...**

Chapter 33: Head in the Clouds

_But a certain little gush of joy, as from some secret, unknown spring, bubbled up in her heart the next evening, when she saw Gilbert striding down through the Haunted Wood and crossing the old log bridge with that firm, quick step of his_. (Lucy Maud Montgomery, _Anne of the Island_)

Blaine went through the day with his head in the clouds, a grin plastered on his face and a supreme disregard for everything that went on around him.

Juliet Porter, the fourth-grade teacher, had broken up with her boyfriend because it turned out he still wasn't over his ex, who'd asked him to give her a second chance, and he'd chosen his ex-girlfriend rather than Juliet. She was inconsolable.

Usually, Blaine would have given her his full attention and done everything he could to cheer her up. He did try, offering her handkerchiefs and compliments and warm hugs and chocolate. But as he was unable to keep the happiness in his heart from bubbling over into his every look and smile, he feared that he wasn't the ideal person to be around Juliet right now.

He found himself distracted all day long, thinking of what Kurt would be doing. During the morning break, he pestered Tina to find out from one of her New Directions friends if Kurt had thought of lunch. Rachel turned out to be at Kurt's and she said they would be having lasagne for lunch, so Blaine relaxed and changed the topic being discussed in the teacher's lounge from Juliet's break-up to Christmas presents and traditions. Juliet gave him a watery smile for that, relieved that she no longer was the centre of attention.

After school hours, Blaine threw himself into lesson preparations. After that, he set up his easel and painted an aquarelle for his new picture book. When he was finally satisfied with how it looked, he prepared a pumpkin stew for dinner and while it simmered on the stove, he cleaned his bathroom and toilet and hoovered his entire apartment, knowing he would want to be with Kurt during the weekend and might not find the time to clean.

Blaine ate his dinner and checked his watch when he was done. Seven PM, two more hours to go until he could Skype with Kurt. It was ridiculous to be so attached to a man he hadn't even known for a full week, but being apart from Kurt was getting harder and harder.

Blaine did the dishes and then dived onto his sofa and put the TV on, but he was so restless that no programme could hold his interest for long. So he counted down the hours, and a bit before nine, he logged in on Skype and saw that Kurt was already online, so he called him at once.

Kurt looked good, in tight black jeans with a white shirt and a red and green chequered waistcoat, and he looked happy to see Blaine. "Hey sweetie," he said.

"Hey honey," answered Blaine. He inquired after the wedding dress, and was pleased to hear that it was almost finished, as well as the accessories.

Kurt had been surprised by his parents at noon, who were checking up on him to make sure he ate, in spite of his heavy workload. So they had all had lunch together, Kurt, his parents, his brother, his sister-in-law and Santana and Brittany. And the girls had been talking about Blaine, apparently, and Kurt's father hadn't been very happy to be the last to hear about Kurt having a boyfriend, so he ordered Kurt to bring Blaine along to the Hudmel's Friday Dinner. Only Kurt's father and brother both seemed less than enthusiastic at the thought of Kurt having a boyfriend and might make trouble for Blaine.

"I see," said Blaine.

_That's tomorrow … I'm meeting the parents tomorrow? Wow. And his dad and big bro already have it in for me? Well, I'll take that as a challenge. My mom always says that no-one can resist the Anderson charm for long …_

He sent Kurt a confident grin, said he was looking forward to it and asked whether Mrs Hummel-Hudson would prefer flowers or chocolate as a hostess gift.

Kurt looked a bit surprised, then chuckled and pronounced himself in favour of flowers, citing that his stepmother loved warm colours. _Duly noted._

Blaine saw that Kurt looked nervous at the idea of taking him along to his parents, and mentioned that it was early for them to be meeting the parents already.

Kurt agreed, but apparently he wasn't scared of his parents' reaction to Blaine. He was scared his 'crazy family' would make Blaine run for the hills.

_Not likely … Now that I've finally found you, I'm not giving you up. Besides, they can hardly be scarier than Santana._

He said as much to Kurt, adding that he wasn't hoping for acceptance straightaway, that he planned on earning it over time.

Kurt seemed a little more at ease then, but wasn't out of surprises yet, because he added a second invitation to his first one. The bride-to-be Kurt was making the dress for had invited him to her wedding, and Kurt wanted Blaine to come along.

_Wow! So I'm not only meeting the parents this weekend, but I'm going to be Kurt's official date to a wedding? It's all much too soon, I'm sure, but I'm over the moon with happiness!_

Grinning like a loon, Blaine accepted the invitation. He knew where the wedding was. Niff were going too, after all. Luckily, it was quite close to where he lived. So Kurt could come to his place first.

_And maybe you could spend the night with me after?_

He had to bite back a smile when Kurt asked whether or not he had a tux. Did he have a tux? Of course he did! He had several, in fact. He was his mother's son, wasn't he? Pam Anderson had been dressing her sons in miniature dinner suits for her charity events from the very moment they were toilet-trained. Blaine had learned how to tie a bowtie before he even mastered tying his shoelaces. And he knew just the tux he would choose to wow Kurt with.

_Prepare to swoon, Mr Hummel!_

They agreed to meet tomorrow at Kurt's place, at 6.30 PM, and wrapped up their conversation.

Kurt sent Blaine a longing look that was like a hug all in itself, and Blaine sent him an air kiss and a smile back in return, before he logged off.

_I can't wait to see you again tomorrow, and hold you in my arms._

Kurt seemed to be channelling his thoughts, for almost at once, his phone dinged, announcing new text messages.

**From: Kurt Hummel**

This is going to sound weird, but I'm going to have a hard time falling asleep without you.

_Same here, I assure you._

**From: Kurt Hummel**

Now that I've slept in your arms once, I kind of always want to. Your snuggling is addictive :-)

_Awww … Okay, now you're definitely staying over at my place on Saturday, I'm not taking no for an answer._

**From: Kurt Hummel**

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Sweet dreams xxx

_After such lovely texts from you, my dreams are sure to be sweet …_

He texted back with a smile:

**To: Kurt Hummel**

I will gladly offer you my cuddle services any time you need them :-)

**To: Kurt Hummel**

Can't wait to feel you in my arms again. Sweet dreams xoxo


	34. Chapter 34: TGIF

**Author's Note: This is a short chapter again, because I didn't have much time to write. Sorry about that, but a shorter chapter is better than none at all, right?** **As usual: write me a review and receive a sneak peek at the next chapter in return.**

Chapter 34: TGIF

"_So they danced and neither of them spoke. As the music began and his arms closed around her, he had felt her shiver. Then the melody caught her and she moved with him, so light, so completely one with him that he could guide her with a finger. Yet as he held her he had no thought of thistledown or snowflake. Here, beneath his hands, was tempered steel, was flame …_" (Eva Ibbotson, _The Secret Countess_)

Blaine woke early on Friday morning, and decided to put the extra time to good use by placing an order for a flower bouquet, packing himself an overnight bag just in case, picking an outfit for the Hudmel dinner and tidying up his living room for Kurt's visit on Saturday.

At school, Tina asked him if he was going to the wedding as well, and squealed when he said yes. "This is going to be so much fun! A New Directions reunion, like my party on Halloween!"

Blaine didn't contradict her, but he knew both the bride's and the groom's family because they moved in the same circles as his parents, and therefore, he knew the wedding was going to be a formal and meticulously planned affair from the beginning until the end. Any spontaneity would have to come from the newlyweds, who certainly weren't as stuffy as their relations. Letting loose like at the Halloween party would be out of the question. He knew even him dancing with Kurt or Nick with Jeff would raise eyebrows, though he hoped Kurt wouldn't mind a bit of censure and dance with him anyway.

If Kurt didn't want to dance in the ballroom, Blaine planned on taking him outside and dancing with him there. He could picture it all in his head: both of them wearing tuxes, a light trickle of snow falling, Kurt's head against his shoulder. Blaine would sing softly into Kurt's ear, and they would gently sway to and fro and then kiss the night away.

He was so lost in this lovely vision of his that it took some time for him to realise Tina was asking his attention. "Blaine? Blainey Days?"

"Huh?"

"Where did you go just now?" Tina asked with a knowing grin.

"I was just … thinking," said Blaine evasively. "You were saying?"

"We haven't discussed the next music gathering yet. We should finalise the plans now that Jeff is here. What were you planning on teaching the children this time?" inquired Tina.

Blaine forced himself to stop thinking about Kurt and outlined the programme for the gathering, Jeff and Tina adding their remarks and suggestions.

In the afternoon, Blaine used story time to try out his new story. His class seemed to like it. They laughed and held their breath in all the right places, and sighed in satisfaction at the happy ending.

He followed up with a few songs and then dismissed his class two minutes early, eager to get to Kurt as soon as possible, only to be stopped in the hallway by the principal, who wanted to discuss the Thanksgiving performance the school was organising.

Blaine had written the words and the music for the musical they were staging, and the principal wanted his advice on the casting. There were three equally gifted girls who could take the female lead, and there wasn't really anyone for the male lead.

Blaine dismissed one of the three girls outright. Charity had a lovely voice and was graceful and engaging, but she was also a figure skater and her parents took that very seriously. Her schedule was riddled with extracurricular activities. Before and after school, she took ballet, dance, conditioning and skating lessons. Even what she ate and how much was monitored scrupulously. It wouldn't do to add even more pressure. Blaine was sure that it would be too hard on her to add a lead role in the school musical to the mix.

The other candidates, Julie and Emma, were interchangeable as to their vocal abilities and acting skills, but Blaine remembered that Emma's parents were going through a nasty divorce and that she had been distracted and unhappy about it for weeks. Maybe this would be just what she needed to cheer up again. And Julie could be her understudy. She was a sweet and helpful girl. Blaine knew she would be supportive and wouldn't be jealous.

The male lead was another matter entirely. Blaine quite agreed with the principal that there wasn't any fifth-grader who could take on the part. However, there were two or three fourth-graders that might do an excellent job.

In the end, they decided on Matthew, who seemed the most dependable of the candidates. Andrew was too lazy, and Tom was too unpredictable.

When that was settled, Blaine excused himself and left. He dropped off his school things at his apartment, changed into the outfit he'd picked out that morning and took his overnight bag and his car keys. He made a detour by the flower shop to pick up the bouquet for Kurt's stepmother, and then left for Lima.

At a quarter to six, he arrived at Kurt's shop with two cups of coffee and biscotti.

He went inside and headed straight to the workroom. Kurt came out at a run and collided with Blaine, and though Blaine could narrowly avoid the coffee spilling all over his or Kurt's clothes, most of it ended up on the floor. He looked at the puddle of coffee ruefully and apologised, offering to run upstairs for a mop to clean it up.

Kurt hugged Blaine and kissed him square on the mouth, telling him not to worry about it and to go right up to the apartment, while he fetched a mop from the workroom and cleaned it up.

A few minutes later, Kurt joined Blaine on the couch and they shared the biscotti and what was left of the coffee. Blaine started apologising again, but Kurt stopped him with a kiss. One kiss led to two, then three, and after that Blaine stopped counting and just enjoyed the moment. The scent of roses assailed his nostrils again and made his head swim with desire. He pulled Kurt onto his lap, flush against him, and cupped his face with both hands before diving in for another kiss.

_Aaah, I missed this …_

Sooner than he liked, though, Kurt slid off his lap, looked at his wristwatch and let out a high-pitched scream. He ran to the bathroom, muttering about his hair being a mess and what a stroke of luck it was that he had picked out a dinner outfit this morning.

Blaine chuckled and planned on staying on the couch until Kurt was ready, but Kurt had other ideas. "Blaine, you can use the guest bathroom to fix your hair. I'm sorry, I'm afraid I ran my hands through it and now it looks like you've just come out of bed."

Blaine obediently went to the other bathroom and gasped when he saw the damage. Okay, yes, Kurt had a point. If he'd risked arriving at the Hudmel's looking like this, Kurt's dad would probably have distrusted him for the rest of his life. He looked so dishevelled, his lips swollen, his hair a disaster, his shirt rumpled where Kurt had fisted it. Not really the innocent and sweet first impression he wanted to make. No-one would consider him good son-in-law material looking like this.

So he did all the damage control he was capable of, gelling his hair neatly back, smoothing the shirt as much as he could and splashing water on his face to cool it down a bit.

When he came back in the living room, Kurt was there already, looking gorgeous in a lilac shirt, red skin-tight jeans and a light grey vest. He held up a white shirt for Blaine. "Sorry, honey, but you can't go to my parents like this. This shirt probably won't be a perfect fit, but it will be better than the crinkled and creased one you're wearing now."

Blaine put on the shirt and twirled around for Kurt's inspection. Kurt nodded his approval.

"Shall we go then?" asked Kurt.

"After you, sir," answered Blaine with a courtly bow.

Kurt giggled and took his hand, and together, they ran down the stairs.


	35. Chapter 35: Are You Ready For This?

**Author's Note: Sorry, the Hudmel Dinner is next chapter ... Couldn't fit it in here. Remember: review = sneak peek.**

Chapter 35: Are You Ready For This?

"_Tristran's heart pounded in his chest as if it was not big enough to contain all the joy that it held. He opened his eyes as he kissed the star. Her sky-blue eyes stared back into his, and in her eyes he could see no parting from her._" (Neil Gaiman, _Stardust_)

When Naomi came to fetch her wedding dress and accessories at 4 PM on Friday, she gasped and stared. In the workroom stood two mannequins. One with her wedding dress, more beautiful than she could ever have imagined. Rachel's shrug was draped over it, and next to the mannequin, on the table, were the long gloves she'd be wearing to complete the ensemble. On the other mannequin, she saw another dress in the same pale pink hue, full-length but without a train. It was an asymmetrical one-shoulder dress with an intricately draped bodice like a rose unfolding. The leather jacket hung over it.

Kurt chuckled. "Well? Do you approve of your going away dress?"

Naomi whirled around and looked at Kurt wide-eyed, completely speechless.

Kurt smiled. "I couldn't let you wear this fabulous jacket over just any dress, you know. That would be bad for my reputation."

He winked and prompted: "Do you want to try it on?"

A slow smile stole over Naomi's face, and it grew steadily until she beamed like the summer sun. She nodded eagerly.

The dress fit perfectly, and Naomi looked exquisite in it. The jacket added a nice touch. It made the outfit less girly and more edgy.

Naomi tried on the finished wedding dress once again, too, with all the accessories. She'd finished the rose pins at home, and they looked wonderful in the dark auburn folds of her hair.

Naomi pronounced both outfits absolutely perfect and Kurt a miracle worker, and kissed him on both cheeks. They put both dresses, the jacket and the wrap in garment bags, and Kurt helped bring everything to Naomi's car.

As promised, Naomi had brought invitations for Kurt and each of his helpers, and she also gave Kurt an envelope with a cheque to pay him for fixing her wedding dress.

She drove off with a cheery wave and a "See you tomorrow! I'll be the one in pink!"

K&B

Kurt stepped back inside and cleaned up his workspace. After that, he put the suits for the groom and his wedding party onto mannequins, smoothing the lapels and looking them over thoroughly to check for loose threads, especially the buttons and button holes.

When everything seemed in order, he sat down with a sigh and tore open the two envelopes marked 'Kurt' that Naomi had given him. One held the invitation to the wedding, on thick cream paper embossed with cursive gold lettering. _Formal and slightly old-fashioned_, Kurt thought. He liked the whimsical poem at the top, though.

The other envelope held the cheque as payment for his work. Kurt glanced at the amount and did a double-take. _This must be a mistake!_

He quickly sent a text to Naomi:

**To: Naomi Keller**

Naomi, are you sure you didn't mix up two cheques by mistake? - Kurt

She answered almost at once.

**From: Naomi Keller**

I'm quite sure, yes. Why do you ask? - Naomi

**To: Naomi Keller**

This cheque is for 15,000 dollars! That's way too much! - Kurt

**From: Naomi Keller**

No it's not, considering that you a) made an entirely new dress and b) did it in just three days! - N

**From: Naomi Keller**

If anything, I should pay you extra for the going away dress … - Naomi

**To: Naomi Keller**

Don't you dare! This is too much already! -Kurt

**From: Naomi Keller**

You deserve it. My sisters were so jealous just now when they saw the dresses *evil cackle* - N

**From: Naomi Keller**

Their wedding dresses were nowhere near as special and perfect as mine - Naomi

**To Naomi Keller**

That's right … You're at your bachelorette party? - Kurt

**From: Naomi Keller**

Not much bachelorette about it. It's a tea party! - N

**From: Naomi Keller**

It's so stuffy and formal that I wouldn't be surprised if the Queen of England turned up :-) - N

**To: Naomi Keller**

If she does, send her my best :-) And I love tea parties, been having them since I was three - K

**From: Naomi Keller**

You and my mother are clearly kindred spirits. She wants to thank you personally tomorrow. - N

**From: Naomi Keller**

Both outfits got her seal of approval. She seemed impressed, even, which doesn't happen often. - N

**To: Naomi Keller**

I'm looking forward to meeting your mother. Have fun at the tea party and see you tomorrow! - K

**From: Naomi Keller**

Yawn! Well, I certainly won't be hung-over tomorrow, that's good. See you tomorrow! - Naomi

K&B

Since he had some time to kill until Blaine would be at the shop, Kurt went upstairs to fetch his own tux for tomorrow and took it to the workroom to iron the pants, the jacket, the shirt, the cummerbund and even the tie. He hung the outfit on a mannequin, too, but put it out of sight.

He was just putting the iron and ironing board away when he heard the shop bell. He jogged out of the workroom and ran smack into Blaine. Blaine's eyes widened comically and he immediately threw his arms out wide. Kurt raised his eyebrows quizzically at the gesture, but when he saw coffee flying onto the floor from two Lima Bean cups Blaine was holding, he was thankful for Blaine's quick reflexes.

Blaine apologised at length for spilling coffee on the floor and offered to clean it up, but Kurt knew it was just as much his fault, so he waved Blaine off and told him to go right upstairs and he'd join him in the apartment in just a minute.

When the coffee was mopped up and only a lingering smell of it remained, Kurt found Blaine on the couch and they shared what was left of the coffee, along with some biscotti Blaine had brought as well.

Blaine started saying sorry again for coming straight to the workroom and bumping into Kurt, but Kurt didn't want any more apologies, so he leant towards him and stopped the flood of words by connecting their lips.

Kissing Blaine was so addictive. Every slide of their lips made Kurt's blood sing and his head go woozy, and he wanted to be attached to Blaine forever and never let go. Most of all, he wanted to be closer to him, to melt into him, to feel Blaine moulded against him. Blaine seemed to agree, pulling Kurt onto his lap and cradling his face with the utmost reverence, looking at Kurt with an awed expression. Seconds later, a wild happiness sparked in Blaine's eyes as he moved in for another kiss.

Kurt didn't know how he had the presence of mind to snap out of that half-drugged, blissed out state to remember about Friday Night Dinner, but he did. He checked the time and immediately panicked and fled to the bathroom.

_I still need to do my hair! It probably looks like a bird's nest! Thankfully, I have my outfit ready, so this shouldn't take too long._

And then he looked at Blaine and panicked again.

_My dad can't see him like this. He'll know exactly what we've been up to, and he won't like it one bit!_

Kurt firmly told Blaine to go fix his hair in the guest bathroom, and then disappeared into his own, frantically running through the motions of freshening up a bit, changing clothes and arranging his hair.

He was ready first, and, remembering how rumpled Blaine's shirt had looked, ran to his walk-in closet to pick out a neutral white shirt, which he thrusted into Blaine's hands as soon as he came back from the guest bathroom, ordering him to put it on.

Blaine's hair was slicked back a little too much for Kurt's liking, but it was better than the wild curls from before, which had been sticking every which way. Once he had the white shirt on, he looked every inch the perfect boyfriend again.

They hurried to Blaine's car. The bouquet for Carole was on the passenger seat.

"I'm sorry, I'll just …" Blaine started to say, but Kurt cut him off.

"You apologise far too often," he observed. "I'll just put the bouquet on my lap. It's not far, and I'll be perfectly fine."

They arrived at the Hudmel's at two minutes past seven, and Kurt could see the curtain move as soon as Blaine had parked his car. He sighed. "Are you ready for this?"

Blaine stepped out of the car, took the flowers in one hand and Kurt's hand in the other. He gave Kurt an encouraging little squeeze. "As ready as I'll ever be."


	36. Chapter 36: The Hudmel Friday Dinner

**Author's Note: Happy New Year! My very best wishes for 2015! To my lovely guest reviewer Karen: I'm thrilled that you love my story, and I promise you there will be more updates. I usually update on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. This chapter and the next will deal with the family dinner. And Blaine will find out Kurt's secret in due time :) I've already written part of that :) Please log in next time so that I can send you a pm with a sneak peek at the next chapter!**

Chapter 36: The Hudmel Friday Dinner

"_The tea-bell rang before he had finished describing the paradise which he meant to earn for Meg, and he proudly took her in to supper, both looking so happy that Jo hadn't the heart to be jealous or dismal._" (Louisa May Alcott, _Little Women_)

The door opened before either of them could ring the bell, and there stood his dad and brother. Kurt sent them both a menacing glare. _Behave, or else …_

They seemed to get the memo. Finn slinked off without a word, and the only thing Burt said was: "Come on in. Dinner's ready."

They both stepped inside and wiped their shoes on the mat. Carole came towards them, wiping her hands on her apron. Her smile was warm and welcoming, and she hugged Blaine as a long-lost son. Blaine clearly wasn't expecting a hug. His eyes grew large, his mouth formed a perfect "O" and he almost dropped the bouquet he was holding. Then a breath-taking smile stole over his face and he returned the hug enthusiastically, his eyes shining like stars.

The smile was still in place when he stepped back and presented the flowers to Carole. "These are for you, as a hostess gift. Thank you so much for your invitation, it means a lot to me."

Carole looked slightly taken aback, and Kurt could hear his father mutter "Smarmy show-off" under his breath. Carole, however, clearly appreciated the gesture. Her face lit up beautifully and she buried her nose in the flowers. "Thank you, Blaine! They're lovely."

They all headed to the dining table. Rachel, Finn and their children were already seated. Sarah and Toby bounced excitedly in their chairs when they saw Blaine, no doubt planning on wheedling a story out of him after dinner.

Kurt steered Blaine to a seat next to Rachel and opposite the children, and sat down next to Blaine.

_Now he's surrounded by friends, even if Finn or Dad turn on him …_

Carole brought out the pot roast, the vegetables and the potatoes, as well as the vegetarian dish for Rachel, and Kurt saw Blaine eye the food appreciatively. The Hudmels all served themselves and tucked in without another word. Blaine seemed surprised at the lack of ceremony, but followed suit.

When Blaine complimented Carole on the excellent dinner, Burt's head snapped up and his eyes flashed. "So, Blaine, is it?"

"Yes, sir," answered Blaine politely.

Burt scoffed. "Pretty manners are wasted on me. Makes me feel uncomfortable. Just call me Burt, will you?"

"Yes, Burt," said Blaine promptly.

"So you're Kurt's boyfriend?" Burt continued.

"Yes, I am," Blaine beamed, grabbing Kurt's hand under the table and squeezing it. Kurt's lips curved into a smile so wide it hurt his cheeks.

"Huh," Burt grunted. "Kurt says it's only been a week."

"Yes, we met last Friday at the book fair," nodded Blaine.

"And you're already putting labels on things, huh?" Burt pressed on.

"It may seem too soon for you, but I assure you I'm not pressuring your son into anything he's not ready for," Blaine insisted.

"You had better not!" Burt flared up.

"Dad!" Kurt interjected. "Not that it's any of your business, but Blaine is a perfect gentleman. And you're ten years too late for the 'Treat my son with respect' talk. I'm 26, for heaven's sake! Stop playing the overprotective father role! I didn't bring Blaine here for you to give him the third degree. I brought him here because I'm sure he's going to be an important part of my life from now on, and I wanted you two to meet. So I'd appreciate it if you'd stop glaring at him and biting his head off!"

Then he turned to Finn, who'd been enjoying Burt's questioning a little too much. "And the same goes for you, understood?"

Finn visibly wilted under Kurt's death glare and nodded jerkily.

Burt, however, seemed stuck on something Kurt had said. "What do you mean, I'm ten years too late?"

_Uh-oh … I should not have mentioned that …_

"I don't really want to go into detail, but at sixteen, I was in love with a boy who was a lot less trustworthy than Blaine. Your overbearing father act would have come in handy then. I doubt if you could have scared him off, though, he wasn't the kind of person who cared about making a good impression and he never cared about anyone but himself."

"Sounds like a winner," Burt said sarcastically. "I hope you dumped him."

"We were never together, dad," answered Kurt. "It was a one-sided crush."

_So not going to tell you that Seb took my virginity …_

"Good," said Burt decisively.

"So Rachel tells me you work with Tina?" Carole took over.

Kurt smiled at Carole gratefully as Blaine told her and the table at large about teaching at Hawthorne and about the musical they would be performing for Thanksgiving. The Hawthorne kindergarteners and the children from Hawthorne's day care centre across the street would join in, too.

Carole nodded thoughtfully. "Mikey will be starting kindergarten next year, won't he? And Henry the year after that?"

"That's right. They will be in the chorus this year, dressed as turkeys, if I'm not mistaken. Next year, when Mikey's in kindergarten, he'll have a slightly more prominent role. If he shows talent, we'll let him sing part of a song or show off his dance moves."

"Oh, he's definitely talented," declared Rachel. "I've had both boys sleep over at our place in summer, on Toby's birthday, and Mikey dances beautifully."

"I'll keep that in mind," smiled Blaine.

And then Rachel went off at a tangent telling Blaine how Sarah was a chip off the old block and already such an amazing singer and actress at her age.

Blaine listened attentively and nodded encouragingly and enthusiastically when Sarah offered to sing the piece she'd be doing at her school for Thanksgiving.

There was no denying Sarah sang well, and everyone applauded after her song, even Rachel and Finn, who no doubt had heard her sing it a thousand times before. Sarah looked smug, and accepted the praise as her due. _So like her mother_, thought Kurt. However, Kurt preferred stroking his niece's ego to having his boyfriend interrogated, so he let it slide.

_At least Carole loves him. Look at her cooing over him taking seconds. Rachel likes him too. Well, what's not to love about a man who really listens to every word you say without zoning out? Finn only pretends to listen. You can plainly see his eyes glaze over after a few minutes of listening to Rachel. And my niece and nephew are enamoured with him because he tells wonderful stories. It's four against two. My dad and brother don't stand a chance._

When Kurt snapped out of his reverie, he noticed that the topic had shifted to football. Honestly, how did that happen? He was just about to change the topic when he noticed that Blaine was joining in the conversation with gusto. Apparently, he supported the same team as Finn and Burt, and none of them were impressed with the new additions to the team. Not much talent and far too many fumbles for their liking.

And then Burt and Finn shoved their plates away and gravitated to the sofa to watch a football game, and they invited Blaine to come sit with them. Blaine insisted on helping clear the dishes first, but then he went and sat with Burt and Finn, talking about matches they'd seen live and reliving the memorable moments.

_Wow! Really? They've bonded over football? Okay, I'm not questioning this. I'm thankful. I'm not even going to complain about having to watch football, as long as I get to cuddle with Blaine._

Kurt sat down next to Blaine, who was still engrossed in talking to Burt and Finn about football, but interlaced his fingers with Kurt's as if on instinct.

Kurt saw his dad notice. Before he could bristle at his dad's presumed disapproval, Burt looked at Kurt, smiled and nodded imperceptibly. Kurt interpreted that as '_He'll do, son'_ and smiled back in relief.

_Dad likes him._


	37. Chapter 37: As Ready As I'll Ever Be

Author's Note: Thank you for your New Year's wishes. As always, I will reward reviews with a sneak peek at the next chapter.

Chapter 37: As Ready As I'll Ever Be

"_Nathaniel's mother is nothing like I expected. I was picturing some cozy Mrs. Tiggywinkle character with gray hair in a bun and half-moon spectacles. Instead, I'm looking at a wiry woman with a vivid, pretty face. Her eyes are bright blue, and her graying hair is in plaits on either side of her face. She's wearing an apron over jeans, T-shirt, and espadrilles, and is vigorously kneading some kind of dough on the kitchen table._" (Sophie Kinsella, _The Undomestic Goddess_)

The trip to Kurt's dad's place didn't take long, but by the time they got there, Blaine had a whole flock of butterflies swarming in his stomach.

_Okay, Blaine, you can do this. You only get one chance to make a great first impression, so don't mess it up!_

Kurt seemed just as nervous as Blaine. He unbuckled his belt and sighed. "Are you ready for this?"

Blaine got out of the car and took the bouquet. Then he clasped Kurt's hand and squeezed it gently, both of them needing that reassurance. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Kurt's family must have been on the look-out for them. The door swung open as soon as they were out of the car, and revealed two men. One of them was older and shorter, with piercing eyes, wearing a flannel shirt and a baseball hat, clearly Kurt's dad Burt. The other man was very tall and would have looked quite handsome, if it weren't for the scowl on his face.

_This must be Kurt's stepbrother. What's his name again? Oh yes, Finn as in Huckleberry Finn. And this is Rachel's husband? Wow, what a height difference!_

For a moment, nobody said anything. Just when Blaine wanted to break the awkward silence and say 'good evening' and 'thank you for the invitation', Finn disappeared and Burt said gruffly: "Come on in. Dinner's ready."

Kurt didn't say a word and just got in and wiped his feet on the mat, so Blaine copied this. Then Kurt's stepmother Carole came hurrying towards them, smiling and throwing her arms open wide for a hug. Blaine was astounded when she hugged him as well as Kurt, as though he was just as welcome as her stepson. He liked it though, and the warmth in his voice was genuine when he thanked her for inviting him to dinner.

Clearly, she wasn't expecting a gift, and that made her appreciate the flowers he'd brought all the more.

Blaine surreptitiously looked around the house as Kurt steered him to the dining room. It was decorated in warm colours and there were pictures of Kurt and Finn and Sarah and Toby everywhere. It wasn't a magazine-worthy interior like that of his parental home, but it felt cheery and warm and lived in. Like a true home.

_When Kurt and I will have a family of our own, I want our house to have that very same feel to it. No expensive decorators for me, thank you very much!_

He could picture it so clearly. Small children's shoes next to their big ones, stick figure drawings proudly displayed on the fridge, a sofa that would have to be replaced once the children were a bit older and stopped spilling all sorts of stuff onto it and every last inch of the coffee table covered in toys. Maybe they could add a golden retriever or a cat to the equation? Was Kurt a dog or a cat person?

And then he reprimanded himself for daydreaming. _Focus, Anderson, you have Kurt's family to charm._

At the dining table, Blaine sat down next to Rachel, who flashed him a welcoming smile, and opposite Sarah and Toby, who seemed glad to see him, if their excited bouncing was anything to go by. Kurt sat at his other side.

Carole seemed to be solely responsible for dinner. She brought out every dish herself, while everyone else remained seated. Blaine had half a mind to get up and offer his help, but decided to keep that for his next visit. Burt had been glaring at Blaine since he'd opened the door, and that glare had only deepened when Blaine had given Carole his bouquet, so he had better not draw any attention to himself right now and make matters worse.

It all looked yummy. Blaine fleetingly wondered what it must be like to grow up in a family where home-cooked meals were served every day. His mother never cooked, and neither did his father. They preferred to eat out or order in. When Blaine was little, he had a nanny, whose job included providing breakfast, lunch and supper for him and Cooper. She wasn't much of a cook, but he still remembered her spaghetti sauce, her cheesy meatloaf and the way she prepared fish as an oven dish with apples and cheese so as to cure both Blaine and Cooper of their fish aversion.

The nanny left when Blaine was twelve, and from then on, his parents gave him money to dine out or order in, as they did. Only, he soon got tired of that, and decided to teach himself how to cook. He wrote to his former nanny to request her spaghetti, meatloaf and fish recipes. He watched cooking competitions and cookery shows on TV. And after some trial and error, he mastered a variety of dishes that he liked and that took a minimum of time and effort.

This, though, was not just a quick convenience meal. It was a family meal with all the trimmings, and Blaine's eyes gleamed with contentment as he vowed to himself to do it justice.

The Hudmels clearly did not stand on ceremony. As soon as Carole had put everything on the table, they all started serving themselves and eating without further ado, Finn filling his plate to overflowing and digging in as though he hadn't eaten in days. Blaine hastily helped himself to everything too, and had to stifle a moan when he took his first bite. The meat was so tender, the mashed potatoes perfectly creamy and the gravy complemented the dish so well that he was tempted to lick his plate clean when he'd finished eating.

He told Carole honestly that this was the best pot roast he'd ever had. She encouraged him to have a second helping "before Mr Greedy here" - she squeezed her son's shoulder affectionately - "eats everything that's left". Finn grinned at Blaine rather sheepishly without refuting the accusation.

Burt, however, seemed to resent Blaine paying his wife a compliment, and started in on him, finding fault with him for being too polite and for moving too fast with Kurt.

Blaine defended himself as best he could. He could feel Kurt simmer next to him, getting tenser and angrier by the minute. An accusatory remark from his dad to Blaine proved to be the last straw for Kurt, who chewed Burt out mercilessly. Blaine felt a bit sorry for Burt, and was glad Kurt's scorching glare was not directed at him.

When Kurt mentioned he wanted his parents to meet his boyfriend because Blaine would be an important factor in his life from now on, Blaine grinned from ear to ear and his heart swelled with emotion.

_The same goes for me, sweetheart. I've only had you in my life for a week, and already I can't imagine living without you. You're the one. I'm sure of it. You belong with me, and I with you._

After Kurt's outburst, the conversation went in another direction, and Blaine happily talked about his job with Carole, and about Tina and her sons. And then Rachel was talking about Sarah and how beautifully she could sing, and Sarah obligingly demonstrated her talent.

When Blaine saw Finn reaching for some more pot roast, he remembered he'd been offered a second helping, and hastened to take some more meat and mashed potatoes before Finn emptied every dish. Carole nodded encouragingly and spooned out some gravy for him.

And then Finn mentioned tonight's game to Burt, and Blaine casually remarked that he hoped Samuels would be benched after his lousy performance last week. Both men turned to him astonished. Did he like football? Why, yes, he did! He'd played both soccer and football in school, hadn't he? One of his best friends had even been a professional college player, as had his brother, by the way. It was in his blood.

Both Burt and Finn seemed to like that, and they warmed up considerably towards him after that, discussing the team with him at length and inviting him to come sit with them to watch the game. Blaine helped clear the dishes first, though. He owed Carole at least that much after such a good meal.

He continued chatting with Burt and Finn, relieved at having found common ground. He felt the sofa give next to him, and knew it was Kurt. He reached for Kurt's hand, twining their fingers together.

_As soon as I touch you, I feel home._


	38. Chapter 38: Bedtime Story

**Author's Note: This chapter has another one of Blaine's stories in it. Feel free to skip it if that's not your thing. It's originally a Dutch story called "De drie schelpjes" (The Three Shells), written by Loes Hermans. I translated it into English.**

**Also, I want to thank a lovely new guest reviewer, GingerKaz, who sent me no less than three reviews. Thank you so much for your kind words! Could you please log in next time? Then I can send you a pm with a sneak peek at the next chapter :-)**

Chapter 38: Bedtime Story

"_Happiness isn't a thing. You can't go out and get it like a cup of tea. It's the way you feel about things._" (Diana Wynne Jones, _Fire and Hemlock_)

Toby wasn't happy, that much was obvious. It must have been past his bedtime already, and he was grouchy. Sarah was laughing at him and telling him he was such a baby, until he chased her around the living room screaming and swatting at her. That, in turn, made Rachel snippy, telling Finn that he could just as well watch the game at home and that they needed to leave right now and go put the children to bed.

Carole invited her daughter-in-law and grandchildren to stay the night, if they wanted to. "You and Finn can sleep in Finn's old room, and Sarah and Toby can sleep in Kurt's."

Sarah whined in protest. "Toby kicks all the time, I'm not sleeping in the same bed as him."

Rachel sighed. "Okay, you can sleep with me, and Toby can sleep with Finn."

Sarah looked at Blaine then. "But Blaine is here, and he hasn't told us a story yet. I want a bedtime story."

Blaine stifled a chuckle.

Rachel sighed again. "Blaine and daddy and grandpa are watching a football game on television, they won't want to be disturbed."

Sarah crossed her arms and pouted mutinously. "Blaine likes telling stories."

Rachel cocked her head to the side. "Tell you what, you can ask Blaine, nicely, if he wants to tell you a story. But if he says no, I want no wheedling and no tantrums from you, young lady, is that understood?"

Sarah nodded, her face lighting up with hope and determination. She marched up to Blaine and when he looked up at her questioningly, she asked: "Blaine, would you please tell us a bedtime story? Grandma and grandpa haven't heard you tell stories yet, and I'm sure they'll love it."

Blaine smiled. "Well, I daresay your grandpa would rather stay here and watch the football game, but I'll come along to your bedroom and tell a story for you and your brother and anyone else who wants to listen."

Sarah shot her mother a triumphant look and led the way to her bedroom. Toby, his good humour instantly restored, followed suit, along with Rachel, Carole, Blaine and Kurt.

The two children jumped onto Kurt's old bed and looked up at Blaine expectantly.

"Okay," he said, "What kind of story would you like?"

"Tell us about the man on the moon," said Toby, "Like in the Dreamworks movies."

"Alright then," said Blaine.

_"__It was a beautiful clear night, and the man on the moon sat peacefully in his silver rocking chair and combed his long beard with a golden comb._

_"__Uh-oh," he said, "The hair of my beard is terribly dry again!" He dipped his comb into the silver stream that ran across the moon and combed his beard again. That was better. Every now and then, he dipped the comb into the water and went on combing until his whole beard hung down in neat waves._

_In the meantime, three tiny silver droplets fell from the beard and fell onto three shells on the beach. The droplets from the silver moon stream attached themselves to the shells and it looked as though the shells each held a beautiful sparkling gemstone._

_The droplets softly started to whisper and tell the shells a big secret._

_"__Listen," they whispered, "Listen carefully: we, as silver moon droplets, have given you magic powers. Each of you can grant a wish, and that is something very special. Whoever finds one of you can consult with two others to make a wish, and that wish will be granted, if, and only if, all three of them wish for the same thing. If each of them asks for something else, no wish will be granted."_

_"__Awww," sighed the shells, "People will love that! So if three grown-ups or children wish for the same thing, the wish will be granted?"_

_"__That's right," said the droplets. "And there's one more thing. There's a magic word. It needs to be said before the wish is expressed, and then everything will turn out all right."_

_"__Right," said the shells, "And what's the magic word?"_

_"__The magic word is 'Tola'."_

_"__Tola," repeated the shells respectfully. "Okay, we'll keep that in mind. How lovely that we will be able to make a few people so happy!"_

_The shells felt very self-important and they thought it wouldn't take long to find three people who wished for the same thing. They couldn't wait and hoped they would be found soon._

_The next morning, as usual, children came to play on the beach. That happened every day, seeing as it was summer vacation. The mothers reclined in beach chairs and watched the children dig holes or make high mountains out of sand. A little girl was looking for shells, and she already had a handful of them when she noticed a very special shell. She hurried to pick it up and took it to her mother._

_"__Look, mom, I found a beautiful shell. There's a sparkling stone in it!"_

_"__Yes," said her mother, and she took the shell with the silver moon droplet in her hand, "It's so beautiful!"_

_Then the shell spoke: "There's a spell put on me. I'm a magic shell. You have found me, and now you can make a wish. Your wish will come true if two others wish for the same thing. Think it over very carefully, and when you're sure, I will tell you the magic word that you need to make the wish come true."_

_"__Oh," shouted the little girl happily, "I get to make a wish. I'd like a new doll stroller!"_

_"__Be quiet," said her mother, "You've heard it, there have to be two other people who make a wish."_

_"__You and daddy," said the girl quickly._

_"__Daddy and I will certainly not wish for a doll stroller, what an idea, we know better things to wish for!"_

_"__But I want a doll stroller!" cried the girl._

_Her mother got up angrily. "We're going home, right now. We're taking the shell with us and we discuss it with daddy. Daddy and I will think of something and then you have to wish for the same thing."_

_"__But all I want is a new doll stroller," screamed the girl, furious, "And I am the one who found the shell!"_

_"__Hold your tongue, you're naughty," said her mother, and angrily, she tugged her daughter along and walked home with her._

_When the girl's father had heard the whole story, he said: "Oh, I know exactly what I want. I want to be king; that would be awesome. I'd have a kingdom, mommy will be queen, and you," he said to his daughter, "you will be a princess, wouldn't you like that?"_

_"__No," said the girl, "All I want is a doll stroller!"_

_"__I don't want to be queen," said her mother, "Where did you get that idea? It would be much better for us to wish for new furniture and a new house and a nice garden."_

_"__Oh come on," said the girl's father angrily, "Those are all ordinary things that you can buy afterwards, as soon as you have enough money. You can't become king every day. No, I won't change my mind. I want to be king and that's what you have to wish for as well."_

_"__I want a doll stroller," the girl wailed again, "And I am the one who found the shell!"_

_"__That doesn't matter," said her father, "You are much too small to know what you want. You must wish what I want and I want to be king."_

_"__No, no, no," said the mother, "New furniture and a new house, that's enough."_

_"__Oh, please," said her husband, "A king can buy as much furniture as he wants. Come on, you need to wish for the same thing I want."_

_Then the mother started crying and lamenting too. The girl threw a tantrum about her doll stroller and her father got so angry that he slammed his fist onto the table._

_The consequences of that were terrible. He hadn't noticed exactly where the shell was on the table and his fist slammed right into it. Only tiny fragments of it remained._

_Now the mother cried even harder, the girl jumped in fright and even the father let tears stream down his face, because none of their wishes could ever be granted now …_

_The second shell was found by a boy who was playing on the beach with two friends of his. When he'd heard the story the shell told him, he called for his friends and repeated the strange story._

_"__That's sweet," said one of the boys, "I'd like a scooter."_

_"__No, a football," said the other one._

_But the boy who had found the shell, said: "You are both silly. What use is a scooter or a football? No, I want fish gear. I wish for fish gear. I love fishing. You need to wish for fish gear, or else the wish won't be granted."_

_"__Fat chance. Fishing is boring. I want the scooter, that's much nicer."_

_"__Not a chance, I want a football!"_

_The boys got all worked up about it and couldn't work it out. In the end, they started fighting. They hit and kicked each other and looked like a giant living ball falling onto the ground and rolling over the beach fighting. All of a sudden, the boy who'd found the shell yelled: "Wait a second, the shell's gone!"_

_During the fight, it had slipped from his fingers. That shook up the boys and made them snap out of their tiff. They joined forces to look for the shell, but however much they dug and delved into the sand with their hands, they couldn't find it. The shell had been buried deeper and deeper under the sand during the fight, due to the stamping feet of the boys. It was never found again._

_The third shell was found by a little boy walking on the beach with his dad._

_"__Look what a beautiful shell I've found, dad," he said, and he showed it to his father._

_The man took the shell in his hand, and it told him about the wish it could grant, if three people wished for the same thing._

_The father didn't have to think long. He looked at his son. He didn't ask anything, but he was almost sure that the boy was having similar thoughts._

_"__Let's hurry home, the third person should be mother, don't you agree?"_

_The boy nodded and they walked home as fast as they could. When they were nearly there, they started to run. That's in how much of a hurry they were._

_At home, the mother was sewing. She looked up surprised when her husband and son came back from their walk so soon. Lynn, the eldest child of the family, was in bed, and she looked surprised as well. Her bed stood at the window. Lynn was always ill, and the doctor had told them she would never get better._

_The father and the boy were out of breath from running so hard, and they panted as they told what had happened. The mother's eyes brightened. She looked at her husband and smiled. There was no need to ask what his dearest wish was. She knew both of them had only one wish: seeing their daughter healthy again._

_Then, she admired the shell. She looked at her son and pulled him closer. "What would you wish for?" she asked, "You found the shell. Tell us what you would like best of all." She stroked the boy's cheek softly, and he dropped a quick kiss on her hand. He looked at his father, then at his mother and then at his sister, and said: "More than anything, I'd want Lynn to get well again."_

_"__That's the most beautiful wish you could think of," said the mother, and she smiled. "Ask for the magic word, father, and we'll see if the wish is indeed granted."_

_The shell said: "The magic word is Tola."_

_All three of them said solemnly: "Tola. We wish that Lynn gets well again."_

_Right after they had said that, Lynn's pale cheeks grew pinker. She laughed, threw the covers off the bed and said: "I don't feel ill at all anymore. I'm recovered, mother, father, truly I am!" She jumped out of bed and threw her arms around her parents and brother._

_On the table lay the shell. It felt proud and happy. The silver droplet from the moon stream glistened in the light of the setting sun, as though it was a real diamond …"_

When Blaine finished telling his story, you could hear a pin drop. The children had quieted down and were watching him wide-eyed, and both Rachel and Carole were brushing away a tear. He felt arms circle his waist and a feather-light kiss on his temple. He took that to mean that Kurt had enjoyed his story as well.

Once the two sleepy children were in their pyjamas, teeth brushed and ready for bed, Kurt and Blaine took their leave of everyone.

Sarah and Toby implored Blaine to come back soon. Rachel gave him a kiss on the cheek and whispered: "You make such a lovely couple."

Carole gave Blaine another warm hug and murmured softly into his ear: "Welcome to the family, dear."

Finn fist-bumped Blaine and told him he was always welcome whenever the New Directions boys had a bro night, he'd fit right in.

But Blaine was most surprised, yet gratified, when Burt gave him a pat on the back and a standing invitation to the Hudmel Friday Dinners.

_Maybe he likes me after all …_

K&B

They headed back to Kurt's place without saying a word. The silence didn't bother Blaine, but every now and then he stole a glance at Kurt, who was holding his hand, but was clearly miles away, lost in thought.

It wasn't until Blaine had parked his car in front of Kurt's shop that Kurt spoke.

"I wish I had found one of those shells when I was eight," he said wistfully. "My mother was so very ill that no doctor could make her better. And I was so frightened and lost and angry. She was my whole world. My dad is great, but my mom … She really got me. She knew me inside and out. So when she died, my world crumbled. And I took it out on my dad. He seemed so indifferent, you know. He would just go about his day as if nothing had happened. Like a sleepwalker, really. He hardly noticed me at the time. He was so wrapped up in grief, I know that now, but back then, I was angry. Angry at the whole world for taking my mom away from me, but especially angry at my dad for not missing my mom like I did - or so I thought. I even resented him for staying alive while my mother was gone. I'd rather have switched them. Kept my mom and lost my dad. Horrible, isn't it? But it's what I felt like back then. So I would kick and scream whenever he came near me, not wanting him to feed or wash or clothe me. And after a while, he gave up and let his sister, my aunt Mary, take me in. That must have been such a hard decision for him to make. Losing his son right after his wife. But he did it, because he wanted what was best for me. He was so glad when I came back to Lima right after my sixteenth birthday. So happy. But it took only one look at the sullen teenager I was for his happiness to plummet again. And I kicked up a fuss about him having a girlfriend, and made him feel guilty about it. It took a long time for us to bond again, and I've never let him in completely. Tonight was the first time I've ever mentioned Sebastian to him. I'll never be as close to my dad as I was to my mom, but he's a wonderful dad. Maybe I should make more of an effort. Be less closed-off."

Blaine unbuckled his seat belt and Kurt's, and pulled Kurt towards him for a hug. "Don't blame yourself, sweetheart. Everyone deals with grief differently. The important thing is that you came back to him, and that you mended the bridges. I'm sorry I told a story that triggered memories of your mother's death."

Kurt's lithe frame shook in Blaine's arms as he sobbed, and Blaine rubbed soothing circles on his back and murmured sweet nothings until Kurt quieted.

"Let's get you upstairs and into bed," said Blaine.

Kurt sniffled and nodded. They got out of the car, Blaine slung his overnight bag over his shoulder and immediately circled Kurt's waist and pulled him close.

Upstairs, they changed into their pyjamas and brushed their teeth next to each other, sneaking glances and smiling at the domesticity of it all.

There was no mention of the guest bedroom this time. They both went to Kurt's bedroom without a second thought and got into bed.

"Will you hold me?" asked Kurt, his eyes pleading.

"Of course," smiled Blaine, and held his arms open.

Kurt crawled closer, until their noses almost touched. Blaine gave Kurt a quick Eskimo kiss. That made his cheeks warm up, his lips turn up and his eyes crinkle.

"Hey," said Blaine warmly.

"Hey," breathed Kurt.

They kissed lazily for a while, until their eyes started to droop.

"Time to sleep, I think," yawned Kurt.

"Sweet dreams, love," said Blaine.

"With you, always," declared Kurt. "Good night, honey."

As he was drifting off to sleep, Blaine smiled into the darkness and hugged Kurt a bit more tightly to him.

_I want you in my arms always._


	39. Chapter 39: Thawing Out

**Author's Note: What other stories are you reading besides mine? I'm an avid reader of fanfiction, so fic recs are always welcome :-) Right now, I'm reading - and loving - Once Upon A Duet, by Emeraldgirl503. Check it out, it's well worth your while. And remember: review = sneak peek :-)**

Chapter 39: Thawing Out

"_To his shock, the tears he'd expected when he'd knocked on the door filled her eyes in a rush and spilled down her cheeks. She wiped at them, looking horrified._

_Without hesitation, he stepped forward and gathered her into his arms. She covered her face and let a single sob escape against his chest. Tightening his hold, he made a mental note:_ Being kind makes her cry." (Julie Ortolon, _Don't tempt me_)

Kurt was fully prepared to sit next to Blaine and watch the football match. His niece, however, had other ideas, marching up to Blaine and demanding a bedtime story. Well, that was certainly a much more agreeable alternative, so Kurt eagerly followed Blaine to his old bedroom and sat down on his old desk chair to listen.

Rachel joined Sarah and Toby on the bed, and they cuddled into her.

Carole plumped down on the futon, her hands folded and her head cocked to the right.

Kurt wondered what Carole would think of Blaine's stories. She liked Burt's straightforward storytelling. Burt usually told his grandchildren about naughty and silly things Kurt had done as a child, or about family traditions. She also loved Kurt's whimsical fairy tales and thrilling adventure stories.

Blaine, however, took storytelling to the next level. He drew you in and held you captive in the world of his imagination. He made it all come to life before your very eyes. He had you hanging on his every word. It was quite an experience, and one that Kurt would never get enough of.

This time, though, it wasn't a funny story, like the previous ones Kurt heard. It was beautiful, but it had sadder and more serious undertones, and it made you think.

Kurt looked around and saw that he wasn't the only one who'd picked up the melancholy the story exuded. It had affected Rachel and Carole too. Even his niece and nephew were much quieter than they usually were at bedtime.

He had no words at the ready to praise Blaine this time, so he did the next best thing. He hugged Blaine from behind and kissed him very chastely on the side of his head.

Kurt helped Rachel put a sleepy Toby into his pyjamas and folded his clothes neatly to put them on the desk chair.

As soon as the children's teeth were brushed and they were ready for bed, Kurt whispered to Blaine: "Shall we go home, too? I'm tired."

Blaine nodded, and they said their goodbyes to everyone.

Toby and Sarah had clearly adopted Blaine into the family already, demanding that he return quickly. Rachel seemed quite cordial with him as well, and Carole gave him the same warm hug she'd given him when he came in. It didn't surprise Blaine any longer, but it still made his face light up like a Christmas tree.

Finn seemed to have accepted Blaine as one of the guys, thanks to his football talk. Kurt heard him invite Blaine for a bro night, and felt torn between laughing and crying. Laughing because it was such a Finn thing to do, and crying because after knowing Blaine for just a couple of hours, Finn already perceived him as more masculine and worthy of his friendship and attention than Kurt.

_Ah well, focus on the positive, Kurt. Finn accepts your boyfriend, which is what you wanted, right?_

His dad surprised Kurt, too, telling Blaine that he was welcome at every Friday Night Dinner from now on.

_That's progress! Maybe I was too harsh in calling him out at dinner…_

K&B

They drove back to Kurt's house in silence. Kurt had so many thoughts swirling in his head that he couldn't have kept up a conversation if he tried, and Blaine seemed to sense that and respect it. He looked at Kurt once in a while, concern wrinkling his forehead, but communicated only with a squeeze of his hand.

Kurt was thinking of his mother falling ill and then dying. It had been like in the story. The doctors had said there was nothing left that they could do. That his mother was doomed to die.

_One of those shells would surely have come in handy then … But in real life, there are no miracles and there is no magic._

So she died, and he had been devastated. So had his dad. But instead of their grief bringing them closer together, they had only drifted further apart. That was Kurt's fault, he knew. He had acted out, he had pushed his father away, again and again and again. And Burt, whose grief had stunned him to the point that he went about life as a zombie, had at last given up trying to connect with Kurt, and had allowed him to go live with his aunt. That had been the best option for Kurt at the time, but he realised now that it must have broken Burt's heart all over again. Kurt had been cruel to his dad, and he regretted that now.

Even when he came back at the age of sixteen, he had been cruel, keeping Burt at arm's length, treating him more like a casual acquaintance than as his dad, and tearing into him for having found a new lady love, because Kurt saw that as the blackest betrayal. Kurt had mellowed a lot since then, and now he truly accepted and loved Carole and Finn as his family, but maybe his dad deserved more from him. Maybe it was time for the two of them to have a heart-to-heart about all sorts of topics Kurt had never discussed with his dad. To reveal the secrets he'd kept so closely guarded. And yes, his dad would be angry with him for keeping mum about it all these years, but Kurt deserved that, and he could take it. The main thing was that it would bring him closer to his dad. He felt the yearning to be open with him. He longed to be able to talk with him about anything and everything, asking advice, sharing his successes but also his doubts and worries and fears.

_Blaine, what have you done to me? I was so frozen and closed-off, and you've thawed me out completely, and now I don't know what to do with all these desires and cravings I feel. You will help me out, won't you? Come with me every step of the way? I need you …_

He noticed that Blaine had parked his car in front of the shop.

_When did we arrive? I owe him an explanation for my lengthy silence. I wouldn't want him to think it's somehow his fault._

He told Blaine about the memories his bedtime story had triggered, about his mother's death and how horrible he'd been to his dad, both then and when he returned to Ohio, and about his resolution to do better, to really communicate with his dad.

Blaine's eyes showed no revulsion or censure, only sympathy. He enveloped Kurt in a comforting hug and told him not to be too hard on himself.

His sweetness and understanding proved too much for Kurt, who burst into tears and sobbed for an embarrassingly long time. Blaine held him in his arms patiently and tenderly rubbed his back, murmuring "Let it all out", "I'm here for you", "It'll be fine", "I've got you" and "I'm so proud of you". Kurt drenched Blaine's coat with his tears and sniffled and hiccupped until he was completely spent.

Then Blaine took him upstairs, holding him close, his arm around Kurt providing the reassurance and comfort Kurt needed, and making him feel so loved and cared for that the bubbliness in his chest made it hard for him to breathe.

They shared Kurt's bathroom to get ready for bed, shyly glancing at one another every now and then, and smiling at how right and wonderful it felt.

Kurt felt giddy just thinking of Blaine's arms holding him all night, and impatiently tugged him towards his bed.

"Will you hold me?" implored Kurt.

He beamed when Blaine answered "Of course" as if that was a given and opened his arms in invitation.

Kurt crept into Blaine's arms until Blaine's face was barely an inch away. Blaine grinned impishly and rubbed his nose softly against Kurt's. Kurt's heart sped up at the sweet gesture.

"Hey," smiled Blaine.

"Hey," whispered Kurt.

And then their lips met and there was no more talking for a while, until Kurt felt his eyelids get heavy.

"Time to sleep, I think," he yawned.

Blaine nuzzled his neck sleepily, and then nodded. "Sweet dreams, love."

"With you, always," admitted Kurt. "Good night, honey."

He felt Blaine pull him flush against him, his body heat seeping into Kurt's bones and his arm around Kurt an anchor and an armour.

_I feel so safe with you. You make me feel as if I can do anything and be anything I want. You give me strength._


	40. Chapter 40: Early Bird

**Author's Note: As usual, review = sneak peek. Enjoy the new chapter, share your thoughts with me and have a nice weekend!**

Chapter 40: Early Bird

"_He stopped as the sight hit him square in the chest. Morning sunlight streamed over her. She was so… Maddy, standing there barefoot with his big shirt hanging to her knees._

_If he could have one wish, he decided, it would be this right here, to wake every morning for the rest of his life to find Maddy in his kitchen, bathed in sunlight._" (Julie Ortolon, _Almost Perfect_)

Kurt woke up to the sound of someone singing in the kitchen, and he grinned widely. Usually, he had trouble getting up in the morning. When his alarm clock woke him, he would snooze for another twenty minutes and then get up grumpily. This, however, was a much nicer way to wake up. Blaine was here, and they had a fun day ahead of them. So Kurt jumped out of bed without much ado and went to shower, style his hair and brush his teeth quickly, before joining Blaine in the kitchen.

Blaine turned around when he heard Kurt approach and pouted adorably. "I was going to bring you breakfast in bed!"

Kurt laughed. "Well, I heard there was a concert going on in my kitchen, so I came to check it out."

Blaine blushed. "I might have gotten a bit carried away. Was I too loud? Did I wake you up?"

Kurt quickly shut him up by sliding his arms around Blaine's waist and kissing him deeply. "Yes, you woke me up, but don't you dare apologise! I love being woken this way. You're an early bird, aren't you? It's only a quarter to eight, and from the looks of it, you've been busy for a while."

Blaine nodded. "I've been up since half past six. I always wake up early."

Kurt took in the breakfast spread that lay before him. Fruit salad, yoghurt, French toast, coffee and grapefruit juice. Blaine had been about to drizzle the French toast with golden syrup, and the plates had already been arranged onto a tray.

"It seems like I'm just in time for breakfast," Kurt commented. "It looks wonderful, Blaine. You spoil me rotten."

Blaine beamed at him. "I love having someone to spoil."

"So I'm going to have to be the strict parent, huh?" Kurt quipped, and then panicked.

_Oh no … Oh no! Why on earth did I say that? We've only known each other for a week! We've only been boyfriends for a few days! I'm not supposed to be thinking of happily ever afters and children yet, and I'm certainly not supposed to be mentioning anything of the kind to him. He'll think I'm too intense and moving too fast, and he'll get scared and run for the hills!_

Blaine's chuckle kept him from spiralling into a full-blown panic attack. Kurt chanced a look at Blaine and saw with relief that he didn't seem fazed at all. He looked amused, that was all, and he answered: "Yes, I'm afraid so. Being strict is not in my nature. I'm lucky that my third-graders love me too much to mess with me in class."

Kurt let out a high-pitched giggle, and then clapped his hand over his mouth in embarrassment and blushed furiously. He quickly busied himself with bringing the tray to the dining table and hoped and prayed that Blaine hadn't noticed a thing.

Blaine followed, bringing the syrup and the cutlery. "I hope grapefruit juice is okay. You're all out of oranges, so I had to make do with what I found."

Kurt looked at him incredulously. "Of course it's okay. It's more than okay! Sweetheart, you don't have to make me a gourmet breakfast every time you stay the night, you know. You can stay in bed and cuddle me; I'd like that just as much."

Blaine chuckled. "I don't think you'd have been pleased if I had woken you at half past six. When I wake up, I have to get up, otherwise I start tossing and turning, and that would have woken you up before you were ready to."

Kurt grimaced. "Six thirty is early even for a week day. So you're right, I wouldn't have been too happy."

Blaine shrugged. "I always get up at six thirty, and my internal clock can't tell the difference between a week day and the weekend. On Saturdays and Sundays, I usually go for a run when I wake up, to kick-start my day."

Kurt raised his eyebrows. "Wow. Well, feel free to do so next time you sleep over. My keys are on the little table by the front door. The biggest one is the key to the shop door downstairs and the middle one is for the front door here."

Blaine shot him a quizzical look. "You wouldn't mind?"

Kurt shook his head. "Of course not. I trust you."

That answer seemed to make Blaine very happy. He gave Kurt a smile so sunny and bright that it took his breath away.

They concentrated on eating after that. The French toast was yummy, and the yoghurt, which had been doctored with cinnamon and vanilla, was even more so, especially in combination with the fruit salad.

_Mmm, I could get used to this … But that's twice in a row now that he's made breakfast for me. Next time, it's my turn._

"Blaine?"

"Hmm?"

"Next time, I get to make breakfast," Kurt stated. "You haven't lived until you've eaten my cinnamon rolls."

"Okay," Blaine grinned.

After breakfast, they did the dishes together, humming contentedly and stealing a kiss every now and then. Then Blaine disappeared into the bathroom, and Kurt went downstairs to check his mailbox for new online orders and to make some bow ties and belts now that all the wedding finery was finished.

Blaine soon joined him in the workroom and commented on the bow ties Kurt was making, telling Kurt what type of man each bow tie was suited for, and embroidering on the stories until he had them both in stitches.

The groom and his men would come and fetch their wedding attire at eleven, so at a quarter to eleven, Kurt and Blaine teamed up to put the suits into garment bags.

When Kurt's customers turned up, Greg took Kurt apart for a moment to thank him very sincerely for helping his bride out with her dress. "She was so down in the dumps about the dress she'd designed, and now she's ecstatic, so thank you very much."

"Thank YOU for inviting us all to the wedding!" answered Kurt. "The girls and I were so pleased with the invitation. That was a lovely surprise!"

"You're bringing Blaine, I've heard," grinned Greg. "Chaz's brother-in-law Jeff is thrilled that his best bud is coming to the wedding, too. I warn you, though, he's insanely curious about you and will probably corner you and ask you a million questions."

"Thanks for the warning, but I'm sure I can handle it," said Kurt with confidence.

"Well, we'll see you at four this afternoon," stated Greg cheerfully. "Now we've really got to run, there's so much more to do. Next stop is the flower shop for our boutonnières. Originally, we picked white gardenias, but Naomi's mom made us change it to pale pink roses. I guess that has something to do with the dress you made her."

"True," grinned Kurt, "but I'm not telling you any more than that."

With a cheery wave, Greg took his leave.

_No pre-wedding jitters there … They make a nice couple._

K&B

For lunch, Kurt quickly tossed together a chicken salad. While they enjoyed their salad, Blaine told Kurt about the venue for the wedding, and told him what he could expect of such a high society affair.

After lunch, Kurt packed an overnight bag and put his tuxedo into a garment bag, and they left for Westerville.

Kurt was amused when Blaine not only proved to have an entire collection of Katy Perry CDs in the glove compartment of his car, but also sang along to them with gusto and panache.

In Blaine's apartment, they both changed into their tuxes, coiffed their hair and shined their shoes. Kurt loved Blaine's tux. It was black, as Blaine had said, and it emphasised his wide shoulders and tapered waist to perfection. He'd styled his hair a bit higher than usual, and he wore a velvety burgundy bowtie that made him look like a Christmas present Kurt was eager to unwrap. Blaine in a tux was just perfection from top to toe, and Kurt's eyes shone like stars at the thought that this beautiful man was all his. What had he ever done to deserve that?

Blaine seemed equally spellbound by Kurt in his finery, his expression awed and enraptured and his lips curved into a wide smile.

After a while, Kurt broke the silence. "Wow. You look absolutely stunning."

"So do you," whispered Blaine reverently. He laughed. "It's like the song, you know." He hummed softly and then sang: "You're just too good to be true … can't keep my eyes off of you … "

Kurt snorted. "You goofball!"

Blaine grinned and twirled around him. "You'd be like heaven to touch … I wanna hold you so much …"

And then Kurt grabbed Blaine by the waist, took his hand and danced him around the living room, singing along.

They ended the song at the top of their voices, collapsing onto the sofa in a breathless heap of limbs, laughing and giggling.

When they had recovered a bit and snuck a few kisses, Blaine jumped up and held out his hand for Kurt to take. "Shall we?"

Kurt took his hand and nodded.

"I checked out the gift registry for Naomi and Greg's wedding online and bought some crystal champagne glasses as a wedding gift from us both," said Blaine.

"I didn't think of that," answered Kurt ruefully. "Well, I made Naomi a going-away dress, and I consider that as my wedding gift to her. But it's very thoughtful of you to have bought a gift for us both to give. Thank you so much."

Blaine beamed.

Together, they walked to the venue. Kurt spotted Tina and Mike at the entrance of the hotel and waved at them. He squeezed Blaine's hand and exchanged an excited smile with him.

_I love weddings. And it's so much nicer to attend a wedding with your boyfriend than all by yourself._


End file.
